Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer - Who has had the better 2017 season so far?

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  • Two-horse race: Between Federer and Nadal.

    They say rankings never lie but when it comes to this season, and assessing the accomplishments of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, choosing the player of the year will be far trickier than simply looking at the number next to their names.

    As we approach the end of the 2017 season, Nadal, in top position, leads second-ranked Federer by 1,960 points in the ATP rankings.

    Both players are scheduled to play three more tournaments this season – Basel, Paris and the Finals in London – but it’s already clear that figuring out who has had the better season between them will be a tough nut to crack.

    Here are a few deciding factors to look at…

    WINNING RECORD

    Nadal and Federer have each claimed six trophies this season.

    For Federer, the breakdown of those titles is: two Grand Slams, three Masters 1000s, and one ATP 500 tournament. Nadal in turn has grabbed two Slams as well, along with two Masters 1000s, and a pair of ATP 500s.

    The Spaniard has played significantly more matches than Federer has this year though. A healthy Nadal has contested 75 matches so far in 2017, recording a 65-10 win-loss record, while Federer has played just 48 matches – losing just four of them.

    That leaves Nadal with an inferior winning percentage compared to Federer, who has won 91.7 per cent of his matches this year, while the Mallorcan is at 86.7 per cent.

    On one hand, Federer’s clinical approach to the season is praiseworthy (he’s played 10 tournaments and won six) but one can’t ignore the fact that Nadal should be given credit for sustaining a high level while contesting six more events than the Swiss.

    What’s more impressive: being able to win tournaments with little match practice, or bagging trophies while putting one’s body through higher strain?

    Considering Federer skipped the clay season altogether, you’d have to give Nadal – a player with a long history of battling injuries – the slight edge here.

    HEAD-TO-HEAD

    Perhaps one of the most remarkable facets to Federer’s resurgence this season is his 4-0 record against Nadal.

    Starting the year with a 23-11 head-to-head lead over Federer, Nadal has managed to win just two sets out of 11 played in 2017 against the Swiss, who has cut his deficit to 15-23 against the world No.1.

    While their Australian Open final at the start of the year was a close five-setter, the remaining three clashes they’ve had since have witnessed pure dominance from Federer, who has figured out his Nadal puzzle and turned the tables on the 31-year-old.

    Federer has now won five matches in a row against Nadal for the first time in his career and it is the Spaniard who is suddenly searching for a solution to master his long-time rival.

    One caveat: none of those five matches have come on clay.

    Still, Federer’s clean record against Nadal gives him a nudge forward in the battle for supremacy this season.

    DOUBTS AND DROUGHTS

    Both Nadal and Federer have had their fair share of doubts thrown at them from sceptics in recent years. Entering this season, Federer hadn’t won a Slam since 2012 while Nadal was Major-less since 2014.

    While Federer’s drought was longer, the Swiss had reached three Slam finals during that period while Nadal couldn’t make it past the quarters at the Majors between his Roland Garros 2014 title and the start of this season.

    Considering they both struggled with injuries last year, Federer missing six months of action and Nadal skipping Wimbledon and ending his year prematurely, it’s difficult to say which player’s turnaround was more impressive.

    It’s worth noting that Nadal also ended an eight-match losing streak in hard-court finals this year when he won the US Open to claim his first title on the surface since Doha 2014.

    Perhaps one way to look at it is this: Federer started the year ranked 17, while Nadal was at No.9.

    OTHER FACTORS

    Federer has faced 11 top-10 opponents in 2017, amassing a 10-1 record against them, while Nadal is 12-5 against top-10 players this year.

    In five-set matches, Federer is a clean 5-0 while Nadal is at 2-2 this season. In finals, Federer is 6-1, while Nadal is 6-4.

    The 36-year-old Federer is 20-1 in Masters 1000 matches. His nemesis is 26-6.

    CONCLUSION

    It’s worth waiting until the end of the season to make a final decision on who had the better season, Nadal or Federer. The Spaniard played in Shanghai with a tape under one knee which has raised some doubts on whether he’d be able to finish the year strong.

    Federer is well-rested and ready to make a big final push for the top ranking. We’re four weeks away from the end of one fascinating 2017 season.

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