Todd Woodbridge and His Mockery of a Claim of How Federer and Nadal Transcend the Sporting World

Nadal and Federer

According to Todd Woodbridge, the former Australian tennis star, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are the perfect role models for all sportsmen to follow. Woodbridge suggests that the two stars are still topping the ATP rankings, in spite of being in the latter years of their illustrious careers. While it is true that Federer has moved past his peak days, what made the former Australian tennis star make such a claim about Nadal—aged 31—is shocking for all. Sure, Nadal is not at his peak anymore, but it would be foolish to suggest that he is at the end of his career as well.

Woodbridge’s statement would have been completely justified, had it been about tennis, as a sport only. However, when you consider how Woodbridge has claimed that both, Federer and Nadal, transcend all sports, you cannot help view the statement as a cheap publicity stunt. On top of that, Todd Woodbridge also decided to go all Shakespeare with his statement by saying that you need to lay your soul bare in the pursuit of being as good as you possibly can. He, then, went on to comment on how Federer lays his sole bare with his emotions and how Nadal does with same with his physicality.

However, to act as if these two are the only sporting superstars who lay their soul bare would be nothing short of a joke, especially when you consider the other sporting giants—such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo—who have been known by people, all around the world, to inspire greatness, awe and magic. On top of that, regardless of which sport you talk about, it is a fact that no sportsman will ever match the legacy left by the greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali. It is good to live in today—as Woodbridge does—but then you have got to remember not to make such erroneous claim or else you will making a fool out of yourself—which Woodbridge did.

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW_8_U3JxeE

Why Do Serena and Roger Have A Problem With The Dope Tests?

Serena Williams is one of the greatest tennis players of all time, regardless of the mention of gender. It is impossible for a fan of tennis to not have heard the name of Serena Williams!

After all, Serena Williams has been the champion of Wimbledon seven times throughout her illustrious career. However, what Serena Williams needs to learn and understand is that her status might be able to win her favor among the fans but that will certainly not be the case when it comes to the tennis authorities.

Serena Williams has recently raised concerns on the manner in which the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) treated her. According to her, the department is nothing short of a nuisance, forcing players to take out-of-competition tests. However, what caused Serena to truly become enraged was the fact that the anti-doping official arrived slightly earlier at her house than the time that had been decided. While it might not appear to be as big of an issue on paper, it appears as if the official should really send an apology Serena’s way, considering the hoo-ha she has created about the event ever since.

The Swiss superstar, Roger Federer, surprisingly appears to agree with Serena on the matter. According to him, Federer has already been tested five times this year while some of his American counterparts have not been tested at all. On top of that, Federer is of the opinion that Serena’s frustration is justified.

Regardless of what opinion you might hold, the fact of the matter is that the anti-doping officials target above average performers on purpose, to ensure that their dominance is well-deserved. When you consider Federer and his reign at the top, it is only natural for him to be tested more often. Perks of hogging the entire spotlight, I guess!

The Real Reason Why Zverev Lost to Nadal

Alexander Zverev

Those who follow tennis would that Alexander Zverev has made his way to the fourth spot in the ATP rankings, owing to how the likes of Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal had been going through their own injury scares. When you take this into perspective, the fourth spot does not appear to do justice to Zverev’s caliber, considering how he should be featuring much, much lower on the rankings, especially in light of his latest statement.

According to Alexander Zverev, he was glad to not have been drawn in the same group as Rafael Nadal, in the Monte Carlo Masters, considering how he had been defeated by Nadal in the Davis Cup. The reason that Zverev gave to back his statement comprises of how he believes Nadal to be the best tennis player to ever grace the clay court. With such an attitude, it’s no surprise that Zverev has lost the final in Rome in the manner that he has—straight sets.

If Nadal was in his usual fire breathing, a case COULD have been made for backing Zverev’s claim of fear. However, when you consider that Nadal had been out of the court since his hip injury in October, you have got to say that Zverev should have been begging the stars to let him come up against Nadal as early in the competition as possible.

If Zverev is afraid of a Nadal who is just returning from a serious injury, you have got to say that he does not deserve the title of the world’s fourth ranked tennis player, at all. Moreover, Zverev felt that he and Nadal will meet in the finals. Well, we all saw what happened in Rome, didn’t we? Zverev was out of his depth when in the same court as Nadal. Fortune certainly never favors the fearful and those who CHOOSE live under someone’s shadow, even if that someone is as great as Rafael Nadal!

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gry5A8a5ajU

Federer Needs to Learn a Lesson or Two from Nadal

Nadal

We all know how Roger Federer recently decided to bow out of the clay court season, hoping to make up at the Wimbledon, right? The step would have been understandable if Federer had an injury scare, but when you consider how Federer is only ditching the clay court for the sake of “self-preservation”, it has got to raise a few eye-brows, especially when you consider his age. What Roger Federer needs to realize is that he is not getting any younger, meaning that he needs to win as many titles as possible, before his illustrious career comes to a close.

Federer, in this regard, needs to learn a trick or two from Rafael Nadal. Nadal recently participated in the Monte Carlo Masters, which is a tournament that he has already won ten times. Nadal has, freshly, recovered from an injury, yet he is determined to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the eleventh time. It would have been much easier for Nadal to sit this one out and target the Wimbledon, similar to Federer, but he refrained from doing it, regardless of how lacking in glamor his possible win at the Monte Carlo Masters might be.

It is true that Rafael Nadal has had to deal with a fair share of injuries, throughout his career, but the fact remains that Nadal is nothing short of an example when it comes to self-motivation, determination and heart. Federer, especially at the twilight of his career, needs to borrow a little heart from his adversary if he is to make his last years on the tennis count memorable for not only himself but his entire fan base, around the world, as well. The world wants MORE of Roger Federer!

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97AIaeE1WAQ

Cricketers Looking for Limelight in the Tennis World

Virat Kohli

We all have been told, time and again, that passing comments on something you know little of is nothing short of a sin. However, the captain of the Indian Cricket Team, Virat Kohli, appears to be oblivious to this simple word of advice. If he wasn’t, then he would not have made the kind of a comment that he has made recently.

According to Virat Kohli, Roger Federer has been defying logic by remaining on the top of the world of tennis, in spite of his age. Virat Kohli, who is perhaps the best batsman in the modern era, did not fall short of making a claim that reeks of favoritism but lacks substance. If you peer at the claim closely, you will realize that it portrays Federer to still be as good on the court as he was back in the old days. True tennis fanatics—unlike Virat Kohli—will know, however, that such is not the case.

If it was, Federer would not have lost the number 1 world spot in the tennis rankings, recently, to a player—Rafael Nadal—who hasn’t stepped into the court in months. On top of that, when you consider how the recent victories of Federer have come at a time when Murray, Nadal and Djokovic were out of competition due to injuries, caution has to be exercised before making exuberant claims of Federer’s greatness.

Regardless of how surreal Federer’s legacy might be, it is a fact that he is a mere shadow of the player he once was. To say that Federer is still the kind of a player he was back in his prime would, actually, be a disgrace to Federer, considering how his prime years were unlike anything that has ever been witnessed in the world of tennis. But you can’t explain that to a cricketer, or can you?