WIMBLEDON, England — While Roger Federer is at the start of a two-week vacation he wasn’t eager to begin, Rafael Nadal will be hard at work today, facing a new sort of challenge in the Wimbledon final.
For the first time since 2002, the last round at the All England Club won’t include six-time champion Federer. Instead, Nadal will take on the player who eliminated Federer in the quarterfinals, first-time Grand Slam finalist Tomas Berdych.
They will be hard-pressed to equal the drama of the past three men’s finals. Federer beat Nadal in 2007, Nadal beat Federer in 2008, and Federer beat Andy Roddick last year. All three matches were decided in the fifth set, including last year’s 16-14 thriller.
But Nadal’s Wimbledon comeback and Berdych’s Grand Slam breakthrough offer compelling story lines.
Nadal missed last year’s tournament with tendinitis in both knees, then endured a prolonged slump. The Rafa of old resurfaced this spring, and he capped an undefeated clay-court season with his fifth French Open title.
Since mid-April, Nadal has gone 30-1 and regained the No. 1 ranking. He’s one victory from his eighth major title.
“I didn’t win a tournament for 11 months,” the Spaniard said. “When you have tough moments and you are another time in the top, it’s more special.”
The 6-foot-5 Berdych’s fortunes are on the rise too. He has achieved milestones twice in the past month, reaching a major semifinal for the first time at the French Open and advancing even further at Wimbledon. He’s 4-1 this year against top-five players.
The only Czech to win the men’s title was Jan Kodes in 1973.
Nadal (1) vs. Berdych (12)
Men’s final comparison
Nadal Berdych
Age 24 24
Height 6-1 6-5
Weight 188 200
Rank 1 13
Career money-x $31 mil. $6 mil.
2010 money-x $4 mil. $1 mil.
Slam finals-wins 7-2 0-0
Career titles 40 5
Wimbledon titles 1 0
2010 titles 4 0
Head-to-head 7-3 3-7
Career record 447-96 253-153
2010 record 46-5 36-11
x-approximate earnings
