The King of Grass vs. The King of Clay
Roger Federer hasn’t lost a match on a grass court in nearly four years, Rafael Nadal hasn’t lost a match on clay in two… So what happens when you pit these two tennis greats against each other on a court of grass…and clay.
Well, you get one of the most bizzarre, intruiging and entertaining exhibition tennis matches since the Billie Jean King squared off against Bobby Riggs in the “battle of the sexes”. This crazy split-court match cost quite a bit more money to put on, but like King vs Riggs, it attracted a lot of attention (a sell out crowd of more than seven thousand were on hand) and the underdog came out on top.
It took nearly three weeks and over a million and a half dollars, but in Palma De Mallorca a tennis court was constructed of one half grass, the other half clay.
The number one and number two ranked tennis players in the world adjusted as well as can be expected while switching back and forth between the two drastically different surfaces, having to change shoes with each switch, but in the end it was Rafael Nadal (No. 2) that took the victory.
There were mistakes and unforced errors as was to be expected with the unusual circumstances of the match, but it was hardly an easy victory for Nadal. Coming into this split surface match, Nadal had never lost to Federer on clay and never beaten him on grass. Nadal had to earn this exibition victory: 7-5, 4-6, 7-6.
tennis, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, grass court, clay court, split court
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