Tennis Mailbag: Roger Federer’s Commencement Speech, Rafael Nadal’s Wimbledon Record, and More
As an aside, I mentioned that, should Nadal really be done competing at Wimbledon, it’s fitting that, A) he triumphed in his last match (much like Roger Federer did in Roland Garros) and B) he lost to Federer in his last match.

How skilled was Nadal on the grass? An intriguing query. And this had always been an odd aspect of his illustrious career. Nadal was quite erratic throughout Wimbledon. He was a beast from 2006 to 2011, making it to the finals in each of the five years he competed, and taking home two wins. With a four-set final loss in 2006, a five-set final loss in 2007, and a five-set final triumph in 2008, his advances against (and, ultimately, defeat of) Federer are

And in the midst? He was defeated by Dustin Brown, Steve Darcis, Lukas Rosol, Gilles Müller (15–13 in the fifth), and a youthful Nick Kyrgios. He wasn’t always fully recovered physically. Occasionally, he would run on fumes from his run-in with the clay. But on occasion, he lost with enigmatic passivity due to a lack of strategy and confidence.

If Nadal’s two victories and eight semifinal appearances are any indication, he is an all-time great. If you look at his win percentage (83%), it decreases. This list of the best men’s Open Era grass court players was created by a reader. If only just, Nadal has to be on the list. There aren’t many things to criticize about this, and it’s a great mental exercise.

watch this address for twenty minutes. I completely concur; Federer gave a fantastic speech. As someone who was proudly present at a college graduation recently, I can attest that not many keynote addresses are as professional, thoughtful, and given with such skill.

He made a great argument about winning points, and I agreed. It’s a virtual coin flip; even the greatest tennis players lose about 47% of the points they play. Therefore, they either win the most crucial points or they reset extremely effectively from negative outcomes. There’s a lesson for everyone of us in there.

Here’s a spicy take on the talent riff: The finest thing that has ever happened to Federer is Kyrgios. Why? He acts as a kind of one-man magic bullet, a.