Rafael Nadal (L) of Spain and Roger Federer of Switzerland (Photo : Reuters)
Novak Djokovic claimed his third Masters 1000 tournament title of the year after blasting Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in their three-set final showdown. With another big tourney trophy in the bag, it's now pretty clear that the Serbia star is playing at the top of his abilities with his eyes looking at the prospect of dominating the remainder of the season.
Can Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal stop this running locomotive? Sure, they have all the tools and experience to put the Djoker's epic start to a halt. However, for them to have a shot at vanquishing a player playing at his prime, both Federer and Nadal need first to overcome their respective internal battles that have prevented them to be at par with the Serb this season.
At the age of 33-years old, Federer has managed to hold his ground against his younger rivals and a bevy of hungry up-and-coming netters. The Swiss even had a bounce back run last year, winning two ATP Masters 1000 crowns and finishing runner-up at the 2014 Wimbledon Championship. However, early-rounds exits have also become a usual thing the past two seasons, and many tennis pundits believe the wear-and-tear of playing almost three decades of pro tennis is starting to take a toll on his body.
Meanwhile, Nadal is currently dealing with an ordeal he has never faced before. After winning 10 titles seven months following a seven months knee rehab, Nadal went through another injury-marred season in 2014, forcing him to miss the US Open, the ATP World Tour finals, and this year's Australian Open championship. His extended absence from the court has somewhat affected his mental game, as he suffered back-to-back early round losses at Indiana Wells and Miami.
Federer keeping his body fresh for major competition and Nadal returning to high-level tennis would be crucial if they want to stop Djokovic from making a historic run this year. Nadal will have an opportunity to put an end to the Serbian run as earliest as the French Open, while Federer will once again attempt to reclaim his throne as the King of Grass.
Failure of Nadal and Federer to fend off Djokovic on their favorite surfaces could be a sign that history will be made this year. Because based on the early results on the hard court, it will be much harder to defeat the menacing Serb at the US Open championship in Queens, New York.
