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Kaka And Cristiano Ronaldo: Parallels In The Tennis Galacticos, Federer And Nadal
Real Madrid would do well to see the parallels between the two top men in the tennis world, writes Goal.com's Peter Staunton...
03-Jul-2009 6:35:54 PM
The withdrawal of the world number one, Rafael Nadal, from this year's Wimbledon Championships may not seem like an orthodox vantage point from which to discuss the recruitment drive at Real Madrid this summer, but it could provide a useful indicator as to which of their new Galacticos may ultimately become the more effective and enduring.
Nadal's very presence on the scene has hindered Roger Federer's quest to become the undisputed greatest tennis player of all time. The Mallorcan's obstinacy prevented, for three years, the Swiss claiming a fabled career Grand Slam, defeating him in three successive finals on clay at Roland Garros. Not only that, Nadal even started to beat the once-peerless Federer on other surfaces too, in high stakes encounters. R-Fed's crown slipped at Wimbledon last year as the feisty Spaniard took the trophy in five sets and he followed that up with an energetic dominance of Federer earlier this year in the Australian Open final. Nadal is one of only two men to enjoy a winning record over Federer on the ATP tour and usurped him as the top ranked player in the world last August.
Nadal claimed the Olympic Gold Medal that month and we marvelled at his seeming endless supplies of energy and vigour; the source of the staying-power and endurance that had marked him out as the most effective player in the world.
Federer hadn't become a bad player over night, or indeed, at all. However, it was apparent that he was finding it increasingly hard to hang with Nadal, and the rivalry has acquired a lop-sided nature, much like the ones that Federer enjoys against virtually every other player on the tour.
Federer has never been the quickest player around the court, nor, has he ever been the most powerful. The Swiss's strengths lie in the dexterity of his shots; from the 'great liquid whip' of his forehand to his unerring backhands and delectable lobs and spinners. He is a more cerebral player than most, winning as many points in his head as others do with their rackets.
What he struggled to come to terms with was Nadal's sheer athleticism, his relentless court coverage, his booming, lasso-style groundstrokes; the factors which, in Melbourne in January, made Roger Federer look ordinary.
At 27, the great FedExpress was being written off in some quarters, no longer top dog in the yard. His place had gone to Nadal, not so much an upstart as an indefatigable adversary; one that threatened to spoil Federer's legacy while simultaneously building one of his own.
But, at Roland Garros this year, something changed; the unheralded Robin Soderling beat Nadal in his own back yard. In four sets, the Swede had succeeded where 48 had failed before - he beat Nadal in a five-set match on clay. A week later, Federer dismantled Soderling; small thanks for clearing his path.
The punishing style of play to which Nadal subjects himself, we would learn, had caught up with him. He claimed that he could not relax at the crucial points in the match, for his concentration was elsewhere - on keeping the pain away. His relentless march towards eclipsing Federer's Grand Slam total looked to be inevitable, once upon a time, but is decidedly less certain as we stand.
From the moment in 2007 that Nadal debuted the infamous knee-tape, observers questioned his physical condition. The harsh, brutal impacting manner in which he carried out his tennis must, they reasoned, chink his armour. Calls were made from his camp to reduce the amount of hard-court tournaments in a year so as to spare his joints from the 'tendinitis' to which they were in thrall.
And the deterioration has culminated in a personal disaster for him. At the age of only 23, Nadal becomes the first man since Goran Ivanisivic in 2002 to fail to defend his Wimbledon title, thus ceding his place in in the draw, opposite Roger Federer, to Andy Murray.
Meanwhile, aside from the odd back-spasm or two, Federer has maintained his fitness, his pace and his ability to sashay around the court. He may have been knocked from his perch by Nadal, but he has a massive chance of eclipsing his rival and taking his Wimbledon title, just like he did with his French Open and as he will do with the number one ranking. It is a testament to the benefits of Federer's all round game, which, it would seem, guarantees more longevity and less pain that that favoured by the Real Madrid fan, Nadal.
There are parallels to be drawn between the games of Federer and Nadal on a tennis court and those of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo on a football field. Much like Federer, Kaka has never been the quickest in movement, never been the strongest in possession, never been possessed of the most powerful shot. However, it his ability to carry out the ordinary and the extraordinary with considerable ease of movement and thought that makes him great, and great to watch.
It is the physical attributes that mark out Ronaldo, however. Witness his highlights reel from last season and you will see raw power, searing pace and booming strikes. No less effective than Kaka, but drawing on different reserves of ammunition to load the cannons.
Ronaldo's dependence on his limbs to carry out his tasks is at stark contrast to Kaka's speed of thought and artistry. Witness the Brazilian's through-ball to Hernan Crespo in the 2005 Champions League final for evidence of this. While capable of subtlety, as all the great players are, Ronaldo is perhaps more athlete than footballer with the opposite being true of Kaka.
If you strip away the layers of muscle from Ronaldo, how much of a footballer are you left with? Would the Portugal captain recover from a hamstring tear, should he suffer one, or would his game irrevocably change? Through his various ailments, Kaka has managed to regain his levels, even picking up the Best Player accolade at the recent Confederations Cup.
Kaka, at 27 and Ronaldo, at 24, are close to the ages of the proprietors of tennis's greatest rivalry. However, as if it needs to be pointed out, they are team-mates. Both have signed six-year contracts at the Bernabeu, perhaps signifying that the dealmakers in Madrid see their longevity in dissimilar terms.
The pair claimed consecutive Ballon d'Or awards, for 2007 and 2008; the lusty Ronaldo replacing the steady Kaka. Similarly, Rafa Nadal ended 2008 top of the pile, replacing 2007's incumbent, Federer. A changing of the guard perhaps, but it could also represent an aberration or a blip.
It is unlikely that Cristiano Ronaldo will ever again win the Champions League, domestic league and whatever else whilst scoring 42 goals in the process, just like Nadal probably won't fancy his chances of holding three of the four Grand Slams at once, which was the case in January.
The effort and physicality that they poured into their achievement marked them out as Supermen; but such dominance cannot be sustainable. More likely is that Federer will go on to reassert himself as the Greatest Of All Time and Kaka's quiet excellence will see him end his six-year tenure at the Bernabeu as a consistent Galactico.
Real Madrid may have paid the world record fee for Ronaldo but the physical indicators would suggest that his best years lie imminently ahead and not more than half a decade away. If Kaka were to lose a yard of pace over the next few seasons, we wouldn't even notice. That is why los Merengues will surely extract every cent of worth from the languid Brazilian whereas the explosive Ronaldo will not be relentless forever.
Peter Staunton, Goal.com
Nadal's very presence on the scene has hindered Roger Federer's quest to become the undisputed greatest tennis player of all time. The Mallorcan's obstinacy prevented, for three years, the Swiss claiming a fabled career Grand Slam, defeating him in three successive finals on clay at Roland Garros. Not only that, Nadal even started to beat the once-peerless Federer on other surfaces too, in high stakes encounters. R-Fed's crown slipped at Wimbledon last year as the feisty Spaniard took the trophy in five sets and he followed that up with an energetic dominance of Federer earlier this year in the Australian Open final. Nadal is one of only two men to enjoy a winning record over Federer on the ATP tour and usurped him as the top ranked player in the world last August.
Nadal claimed the Olympic Gold Medal that month and we marvelled at his seeming endless supplies of energy and vigour; the source of the staying-power and endurance that had marked him out as the most effective player in the world.
Federer hadn't become a bad player over night, or indeed, at all. However, it was apparent that he was finding it increasingly hard to hang with Nadal, and the rivalry has acquired a lop-sided nature, much like the ones that Federer enjoys against virtually every other player on the tour.
Federer has never been the quickest player around the court, nor, has he ever been the most powerful. The Swiss's strengths lie in the dexterity of his shots; from the 'great liquid whip' of his forehand to his unerring backhands and delectable lobs and spinners. He is a more cerebral player than most, winning as many points in his head as others do with their rackets.
What he struggled to come to terms with was Nadal's sheer athleticism, his relentless court coverage, his booming, lasso-style groundstrokes; the factors which, in Melbourne in January, made Roger Federer look ordinary.
At 27, the great FedExpress was being written off in some quarters, no longer top dog in the yard. His place had gone to Nadal, not so much an upstart as an indefatigable adversary; one that threatened to spoil Federer's legacy while simultaneously building one of his own.
But, at Roland Garros this year, something changed; the unheralded Robin Soderling beat Nadal in his own back yard. In four sets, the Swede had succeeded where 48 had failed before - he beat Nadal in a five-set match on clay. A week later, Federer dismantled Soderling; small thanks for clearing his path.
The punishing style of play to which Nadal subjects himself, we would learn, had caught up with him. He claimed that he could not relax at the crucial points in the match, for his concentration was elsewhere - on keeping the pain away. His relentless march towards eclipsing Federer's Grand Slam total looked to be inevitable, once upon a time, but is decidedly less certain as we stand.
From the moment in 2007 that Nadal debuted the infamous knee-tape, observers questioned his physical condition. The harsh, brutal impacting manner in which he carried out his tennis must, they reasoned, chink his armour. Calls were made from his camp to reduce the amount of hard-court tournaments in a year so as to spare his joints from the 'tendinitis' to which they were in thrall.
And the deterioration has culminated in a personal disaster for him. At the age of only 23, Nadal becomes the first man since Goran Ivanisivic in 2002 to fail to defend his Wimbledon title, thus ceding his place in in the draw, opposite Roger Federer, to Andy Murray.
Meanwhile, aside from the odd back-spasm or two, Federer has maintained his fitness, his pace and his ability to sashay around the court. He may have been knocked from his perch by Nadal, but he has a massive chance of eclipsing his rival and taking his Wimbledon title, just like he did with his French Open and as he will do with the number one ranking. It is a testament to the benefits of Federer's all round game, which, it would seem, guarantees more longevity and less pain that that favoured by the Real Madrid fan, Nadal.
There are parallels to be drawn between the games of Federer and Nadal on a tennis court and those of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo on a football field. Much like Federer, Kaka has never been the quickest in movement, never been the strongest in possession, never been possessed of the most powerful shot. However, it his ability to carry out the ordinary and the extraordinary with considerable ease of movement and thought that makes him great, and great to watch.
It is the physical attributes that mark out Ronaldo, however. Witness his highlights reel from last season and you will see raw power, searing pace and booming strikes. No less effective than Kaka, but drawing on different reserves of ammunition to load the cannons.
Ronaldo's dependence on his limbs to carry out his tasks is at stark contrast to Kaka's speed of thought and artistry. Witness the Brazilian's through-ball to Hernan Crespo in the 2005 Champions League final for evidence of this. While capable of subtlety, as all the great players are, Ronaldo is perhaps more athlete than footballer with the opposite being true of Kaka.
If you strip away the layers of muscle from Ronaldo, how much of a footballer are you left with? Would the Portugal captain recover from a hamstring tear, should he suffer one, or would his game irrevocably change? Through his various ailments, Kaka has managed to regain his levels, even picking up the Best Player accolade at the recent Confederations Cup.
Kaka, at 27 and Ronaldo, at 24, are close to the ages of the proprietors of tennis's greatest rivalry. However, as if it needs to be pointed out, they are team-mates. Both have signed six-year contracts at the Bernabeu, perhaps signifying that the dealmakers in Madrid see their longevity in dissimilar terms.
The pair claimed consecutive Ballon d'Or awards, for 2007 and 2008; the lusty Ronaldo replacing the steady Kaka. Similarly, Rafa Nadal ended 2008 top of the pile, replacing 2007's incumbent, Federer. A changing of the guard perhaps, but it could also represent an aberration or a blip.
It is unlikely that Cristiano Ronaldo will ever again win the Champions League, domestic league and whatever else whilst scoring 42 goals in the process, just like Nadal probably won't fancy his chances of holding three of the four Grand Slams at once, which was the case in January.
The effort and physicality that they poured into their achievement marked them out as Supermen; but such dominance cannot be sustainable. More likely is that Federer will go on to reassert himself as the Greatest Of All Time and Kaka's quiet excellence will see him end his six-year tenure at the Bernabeu as a consistent Galactico.
Real Madrid may have paid the world record fee for Ronaldo but the physical indicators would suggest that his best years lie imminently ahead and not more than half a decade away. If Kaka were to lose a yard of pace over the next few seasons, we wouldn't even notice. That is why los Merengues will surely extract every cent of worth from the languid Brazilian whereas the explosive Ronaldo will not be relentless forever.
Peter Staunton, Goal.com
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