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**enurneAcourdy** · 04-03-2009, 07:15 AM

It is a rivalry if it FEELS like a rivalry.
We used to talk about the Becker/Edberg rivalry, even though Becker was 25/10. Surprisingly, nobody ever talked about the Courier/Agassi rivalry, even though it was pretty intense (and even: 7/5 Courier).
We never talked about the Pete/Krajicek rivalry, although Krajicek actually led that one (6/3). They simply did not feel like rivalries.
Pete/Andre was clearly one, although Pete dominated in almost all aspects (20/14 overall, 6/3 at Grand Slams, 4/0 at the USO). But they seemed like true rivals.
As much hatred as Connors could project towards McEnroe, there was mutual respect once the match was over. It was a rivalry (McEnroe 20/14).
Roger / Rafa a rivalry? By the numbers, no. But every time they play I am glued to the TV screen, and I would pay LOTS of money to see one match live, and the level of respect they show to one another makes it feel like a rivalry.

I think this is a very good point. It's certainly a rivalry in my eyes. The outcome of their matches is simply too much up in the air. Nadal gets the best of Federer a lot these days but it doesn't change that it's up in the air. Going into the 5th set of the AO final on Sunday, who did y'all think was gonna win? Part of what made Andy-Roger seem like a non-rivalry is that Andy was having a very difficult time even taking sets from Roger. Roger and Rafa play each other very close.

04-03-2009, 07:15 AM	#23
enurneAcourdy Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 727 Senior Member	It is a rivalry if it FEELS like a rivalry. We used to talk about the Becker/Edberg rivalry, even though Becker was 25/10. Surprisingly, nobody ever talked about the Courier/Agassi rivalry, even though it was pretty intense (and even: 7/5 Courier). We never talked about the Pete/Krajicek rivalry, although Krajicek actually led that one (6/3). They simply did not feel like rivalries. Pete/Andre was clearly one, although Pete dominated in almost all aspects (20/14 overall, 6/3 at Grand Slams, 4/0 at the USO). But they seemed like true rivals. As much hatred as Connors could project towards McEnroe, there was mutual respect once the match was over. It was a rivalry (McEnroe 20/14). Roger / Rafa a rivalry? By the numbers, no. But every time they play I am glued to the TV screen, and I would pay LOTS of money to see one match live, and the level of respect they show to one another makes it feel like a rivalry. I think this is a very good point. It's certainly a rivalry in my eyes. The outcome of their matches is simply too much up in the air. Nadal gets the best of Federer a lot these days but it doesn't change that it's up in the air. Going into the 5th set of the AO final on Sunday, who did y'all think was gonna win? Part of what made Andy-Roger seem like a non-rivalry is that Andy was having a very difficult time even taking sets from Roger. Roger and Rafa play each other very close.
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