Hot Beats Cool as Evert-Navratilova Rivalry Revived on Men's Tour

What an extraordinary time for men's tennis. Thirteen-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer stuck at that awesome but unlucky number at this year's Australian Open, as gorgeous Rafael Nadal beat him in a match whose quality was as high as both players' hair stylists. Winner, winner winner--that's what insomniac viewers of the live match were treated to. That and the revival of the Evert-Navratilova rivalry.
Roger of course would be Chris Evert--the ice princess champion like few had ever seen on the scene long before Nadal, winning Grand Slam after Grand Slam (though, unlike Chris, not French Open after French Open after French Open) with his wily play from the baseline.
And Nadal is Navratilova--the likable, passionate and yet kind of goofy upstart who doesn't really seem like one of the all-time greats at first, wins a Grand Slam event now and then until--wham! He has the number of the former all-time great and is winning just about everything.
If Roger Federer wants to tie, or even exceed, ace machine Pete Sampras' all-time record of 14 Grand Slams, he's going to need to dig deep like Evert did. He may even need to steal a few pages from Nadal's playbook the way Evert did from Navratilova's and get really fit like he's never been before. Nadal wins by wearing players down. Federer's breakdown into tears after the match wasn't just emotional because he wanted to win this one so bad, but also physical. The wheels came off for him in the fifth set because Nadal was in so much better shape, even though Nadal reached the semis by winning the longest men's match ever at the Australian Open, a 5-hour plus marathon that showed just how big Nadal's heart is.
I love that Nadal walked over and put his arm around Roger to try and cheer him up. Nadal's a fast learner on and off the court. I remember how he barely could speak a word of English after his first French Open win. After winning this year's Australian he spoke like English was his first language to the crowd and--if memory serves me correctly--didn't even bother to speak a word of Spanish. The guy has more than one surprise up his sleeve (now that he has one) and is quite the chameleon transforming himself in seconds from the fist-pumping, "Vamos"-yelling, fierce competitor to the sweetest, most effervescent and gracious champion.
Federer stepped away from Nadal, out of the embrace to the mike to speak again. Federer's instinct was right. No, he doesn't need some Nancy Lieberman telling hm he needs to hate Nadal (so I'm switching the Chrissie-Martina comparison here--whatever), but he does need to find his inner cool again, not want every Grand Slam so much that he's his own worst enemy, and--above all else--get in the very best shape of his life so he at least knows he really gave it his all to see which Grand Slam championships he has left in him.
And to find his inner cool, all Roger has to do is look back one Grand Slam championship. Nadal has yet to win the U.S. Open. Maybe it will be to Roger Federer what the French Open became to Evert--su casa.