Federer And Nadal - Spot The Difference

Everyone focuses on the differences between Federer and Nadal but what really is strange is just how similar they both are.

Both are from comfortable middle class families. Both have one younger sister. Both were precocious in their tennis development. Both are well regarded for their media work and talked about as ambassadors for the game. Both take an interest in the politics side of tennis and are members of the players council. Nadal though younger has mirrored Federer as far as career trajectory and is on track to retire with similar achievements.

Remarkably they are the same hieght (185cm) and weight (85kg). If you half close your eyes they even look very similar

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/SPORT/tennis/12/22/tennis.federer.nadal.madrid/t1larg.federer.nadal.gi.jpg

I know they do have different playing styles. Federer has a better serve and Nadal can play quite a lethal topspin forehand. Also Federer is right handed and Nadal is a little bit left handed. However when they are talked about in the future their differences may well be forgotton. Their rivalry, achievements and the excitement they brought to tennis will be remembered.

I can even imagine a time in the distant future when a conversation may go something like this - "Wasn't Federer the one in blue? He was the best on clay and he used to do this funny thing with water bottles when they changed ends".... and certain 606v2 posters would shift slightly in their graves... (Hope that doesn't sound too morbid. I am talking about the very distant future)

I know what you mean. I can never remember which is Don Budge and which is Ellsworth Vines.

Tell me about it. I constantly mix up Ivo Karlovic with Little Mo

Novak Djokovic and Dustin Diamond are inseperable too.. http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSMqQ_nDyVadw1FhIaH8ZLqEro0VDcanEArZ00ivIGkdNtIEnzT

I have a similar problem to Hawkeye - I think that the White Cliffs of Dover are made of cheese.

Mmm. So it's difficult to admit the similarity for some?

HE... how about Laver-Rosewall? I cannot figure out who should be Nadalesque and who should be Federeresque.

There are similarities, of course - similar middle class backgrounds and good reputations with media and spectators, otherwise the similarities are pretty much all of the sort you'd expect to see between two hugely successful professional tennis players including the fact that they are of not dissimilar build (that is hardly a coincidence - every sport has an optimum build) although it's undeniable that Nadal's upper body is considerably more muscly.

Otherwise, within the facile context of obvious similarities between professional sportsmen the differences are far more striking and are set to be remembered for as long as tennis is followed and great rivalries are written about like Budge/Vines, Budge/Perry, Laver/Rosewell, McEnroe/Borg, McEnroe/Lendl, McEnroe Connors and so-on.

If you half close your eyes you would see men of a similar build wearing bandana and with longish hair, but they hold themselves differently and the minute they start moving you see a striking differnece.

The fashion of the day also contributes to visual similarities.

barrystar

Is a height of 185cm and a wieght of 85kg the optimum build for a tennis player. It would seem to be so judging from these two players.

Am I the only one that finds that they are excactly the same remarkable?

They only look similar because Nadal copied Federer's look. I seem to remember that Nadal used to wear sleeveless tops, 3/4 length trousers and have really long hair. Although I guess Federer used to have a ponytail. Maybe tennis players are drawn to Federer's look as they hit their mid twenties.

So you think Nadal just wants to copy Federer?

Chazfazzer wrote:Maybe tennis players are drawn to Federer's look as they hit their mid twenties.

My mom happened to listen to a Djokovic press conference I was watching (and she is not really a tennis fan at all) and she said "He's beginning to sound just like Federer" And she's right! The tone of voice, and starting sentences with "Look..um.." and saying "you know" all the time.
By the way I think Diana Federer is older, so thats one thing thats not the same.

HarpoMars wrote:
By the way I think Diana Federer is older, so thats one thing thats not the same.

Diana is older than Roger by 20 months (Born in 1979). She plays Field Hockey and Volleyball.

Lynette, Roger's mother also used play Field Hockey and Tennis.