Roger, Rafa complimentary ahead of Fedal XXXVI

Roger Federer will attempt to beat Rafael Nadal for the third time in a row – for the first time in his career – when they meet in the fourth round at Indian Wells on Wednesday.

It’s little wonder such a feat has been unattainable for Federer, after hearing the Swiss describe exactly what makes his Spanish rival so tough to face.

“I think he’s a player with a lot of possibilities. He can play really deep in the court and really in the court, too, now. He’s really become a player that can do both. We don’t have that many guys on the tour that can actually do that,” said Federer after beating Steve Johnson in the third round.

“So that’s always an option for him, Plan A, Plan B, depending on how he wants to start the match. Or he can even have variation by doing it on the deuce side and not on the ad, for instance, or vice versa, because he’s so comfortable in, on, and back.

“Which is very difficult, I can tell you that, because I have tried to play from back. And it’s a totally different game and geometry from way back there. So that’s one thing.

“For a typical clay-court player, which he is not, he can actually volley very well. He reads the game really well going forward. He closes the net down very well. He rarely misses serve-and-volleys or anything like that kind that we used to see from some of the great clay-court players in the back that would feel so uncomfortable at net. And Rafa is not like that. That’s why he’s also had success in doubles.

“Then because of his spin and lefty, mental and physical ability, he’s raised the bar for tennis players.

“And he can out-tough you, if need to be and just make shots. That’s another asset for him that he’s always got in the bag somewhere.”

High praise indeed. Yet it wasn’t just coming from Federer.

After beating Fernando Verdasco earlier on Tuesday to reach the last 16, Nadal was asked what it was about Federer’s game that made the Swiss so special.

“Everything,” Nadal replied, smiling.

“He has the talent to do very difficult things that looks easy. He’s able to take the ball very early, serve and first shot. He create a lot of winners with that, two first shots, no?

“And then he’s able to take the ball always from inside, and he’s very quick going to the net.

“If you play short ball, then you know that he gonna go inside and gonna hit a winner, gonna play a shot that hit forehand or backhand, go to the net, and you are going to be in big trouble.”

Federer and Nadal are scheduled to play their fourth-round match on Stadium 1 at Indian Wells not before 5pm PDT.