There are a lot of tennis fans in Goa, so when it’s Grand Slam time, Facebook and Twitter timelines are full of predictions and more. This Australian Open has been a bit different. For the first time in a long time, two young old men are back in the reckoning for the title. There was a time when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were fierce rivals on court, but age, bad knees and fitness issues catch up in the end. With player like Novak Djokovic and others now adding to their woes, ‘Fedal’ have not been at their best. Yes, ‘Fedal’ is the new keyword this tennis season. The chances of them playing against each other in the final is high. If FedEx does win (yes, we're big on nicknames at the moment), he will eclipse Sampras' record of five Australian Open titles. So, there's a lot riding on this. But nevertheless, 2017 started with fans cheering them on and even neutrals egging them to play as hard as they used to. Perhaps ‘Fedal’ can’t be written off just yet. We’ll have to wait and see. All said and done, they will be back this year to give others a run for their money
--
The Federer Nadal rivalry goes a long way, the clash of the tennis titans. The king of grass versus the king of clay - one of the greatest rivalries in sport history. Like the Messi-Ronaldo, the Ali-Fraser and the Borg-McEnroe rivalry. To see these two play again in the finals would be amazing and nostalgic. I remember being glued to my TV set watching them. The sheer intensity and pace they play with makes it a joy to watch and being a tennis player myself, I've learnt so much from watching them. Nadal and Federer both have different playing styles, Nadal is aggressive and plays with intensity whereas Federer so calm and composed; a true maestro on court. Would love to see them have a go at it one more time. Noah D’Silva, student
The Australian Open so far has been proper nostalgia. So many people had written off the old guard but against all possible odds, they have come roaring back. It will be interesting to see the outcome of the Williams sisters' match but the world will be eager to witness a 'Fedal' final. Both the players are considered greats of the game and are coming off a poor year in 2016. If Rafa makes it to the final, it will be a match to be remembered. As a Nadal fan, I am licking my lips at the prospect of Rafa winning his fifteenth slam.
Sullivan Noronha, media professional
