Rafael Nadal jests he would prefer an easier opponent as another Roger Federer epic looms at Wimbledon

Wimbledon 2018 LIVE | Follow today's action from SW19
Top form | Nadal takes on Jiri Vesely in the fourth round today
AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Strokes of Genius - aired last night on BBC2 - told the story of the Wimbledon final of 10 years ago.

At an hour and 39 minutes, it ran to the length of a typical match for Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer here this year, such has been the pair’s ease on court, and retold the story of their gargantuan battle on Centre Court in 2008.

That final has often been described as the greatest tennis match of all time, and a repeat would be an apt response to the World Cup, to which Wimbledon has been playing second fiddle and will continue to do so if England beat Croatia on Wednesday to make it to a final which begins two hours into another potential Federer-Nadal epic.

Asked of the prospect of meeting Federer again, Nadal joked: “If I am in the final, I prefer to face an easier opponent. I am not stupid. But if I am in the final, it will be great news. Any opponent will be difficult.”

The 2008 season proved a telling one for Nadal: the first time he had made his mark at Wimbledon; his first victory; and his first time in the world No1 spot. In the intervening years, he has blown hot and cold on grass, as much down to his ailing knees as his ability to master the surface.

That the sun is expected to shine for another week at SW19 will only play further to his strengths. The 32-year-old is all too aware that the weather has been kind to him, but on the eve of tonight’s match against Jiri Vesely on Centre Court he downplayed it, saying: “No, my tennis is not affected much. Life is happier with the sun than when it is raining all day.”

The current world No1 has looked pretty invincible. The most games he has conceded in any of his three matches to date is 11 although, against the likes of Federer, the Mallorcan’s first-serve percentage needs to be far higher than the 59 he managed in beating Alex de Minaur last time out.

The history of what he and Federer are doing is not lost on Nadal and the signs are it is a rivalry that will continue throughout this season and beyond.

“It is great to have this experience again, playing so well later in my career,” he said. “The beginning of the year was tough for me with injuries. All the problems I am going through during my career makes me enjoy more the good moments I am having.”

Waiting most ominously for Nadal, potentially in the last-four, is a resurgent Novak Djokovic for what would be a 52nd match-up. Currently, Nadal is a solitary win behind. On current form, few would bet against him levelling the scores on his pathway to the final.

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