Federer knows that the numbers favor him ... for now. The 16 Grand Slam crowns compared to nine of Nadal. The superlative praise than its rivals tend to spend.
Every time Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer get behind a microphone, someone always asks the question.
"Who do you consider the best tennis player ever?". With the rigor of modesty, sagacious in diplomacy, none is clothed with the mantle.
Federer knows that the numbers will favor ... for now. The 16 Grand Slam crowns compared to nine of Nadal. The superlative praise than its rivals tend to spend.
After raising four match points in the Paris Masters for his first win over Federer in six games, Gael Monfils essentially said as if he had conquered the peak of Mount Everest: "It's a tennis legend, The Legend ... The I will remember all my vine. "
But Federer has 29, pending of her adorable twins. So they began to believe that the timing of the decline is approaching the Swiss.
Nadal, meanwhile, only has 24 years, and when in early September, champion of the U.S. Open became the seventh man to complete the collection of Grand Slam titles.
No one missed the detail that Nadal had achieved its ninth largest one year in advance of what it took to Federer.
"I think about whether I am better or worse than Roger's stupid," he said in Spanish after his moment of glory in New York. "For the titles say it is much better than me, so that's the truth at this time. I think it's really all my life."
It was the year of resurgence for Nadal, after the previous was marred by injuries and problems within his family. Recaptured Roland Garros without dropping a set, regained the number one and found his best kick, so far the weakest part of his arsenal.
Yes, this is a unique moment for the men's game, its golden age, in which two pairs monopolize all (21 of the last 23 large) and discuss who is the best of all time.
The rivalry seemed to wane this year when Federer's armor was pierced with its "early" liquidation in French Open and Wimbledon. His loss to Robin Soderling in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros was the first that passed before the semifinals of a Slam in six years.
Perhaps the most alarming sign was that lost four games in which he had before that missed match points.
But Federer batteries recharged, hired Paul Annacone and beat Nadal in Masters Cup final, the fifth time he lifted the trophy of the season-ending tournament. This victory enabled him to 66 career titles, leaving the fourth on the career list of the circuit.
"I have no plans to retire, leave, leave or whatever you call it," said Federer after his consecration in London. "I hope to play many more years."
Much expectation begins to raise the upcoming Australia Open, where Federer will attempt to validate the crown.
Nadal will be in Melbourne where search complete their "Rafa Slam" and be flaunting the rod while the four major tournaments.
Nadal closed out the year firmly installed as the world number one, with an outer gap of 3.305 points over Federer.
No one seems able to intrude on the pulse between them.
In 2008, Novak Djokovic broke the monotony by winning the Australia Open, but Djokovic really is satisfied with having accomplished this year for his country its first Davis Cup. Andy Murray threat, but always falters.
And what was Juan Martin del Potro? The Argentinian U.S. Open champion 2009, played just six games in 2010 after wrist surgery. His ranking plummeted to 257 points and it evaporates unable to go to Flushing Meadows to defend the title.
With the barrel with the striker on the right, the giant Del Potro was the individual who had emerged to mediate between Nadal and Federer. It remains to see if you can yet again.
2010 was a year entertaining in every way.
The epic match was John Isner and starred Nicolas Mahut for second round of Wimbledon. It took three days to complete. 11 hours, 5 minutes and 183 games was the longest game in history. Moreover the fifth set (70-68 was the score) alone exceeded the length of any other game. The Frenchman Mahut won more points (502 of 478), but the American was the one who sang Isner victory.
While men go through an exceptional time, the keynote irregularity among women.
Caroline Wozniacki ended the year as number one, but Danish has yet to win a Slam. It is the virtue of knowing more points and Serena Williams has not played since winning Wimbledon because of the cuts on the foot he suffered when he stepped on glass in a restaurant in Munich.
Justine Henin's retirement came after a year and a half and the beginning seemed to repeat the example of his compatriot Kim Clijsters, who won the U.S. Open. But Henin lost the final to Serena Williams in Australia and had to quit after Wimbledon with a sore elbow.
Clijsters, meanwhile, repeated as champion at Flushing Meadows and won the female Masters.
And the Roland Garros women threw an unexpected champion in the Italian Francesca Schiavone, who at age 29 had never even reached the semifinals of a Slam.