News Staff Reporter
Just before the start of the U.S. Open a little under a month ago, the world’s two most dominant athletes, Tiger Woods and Roger Federer, met at Arthur Ashe stadium. These two athletes are at the pinnacle of performance in their respective sports and comparing their dominance is really the only competition either still faces.
Two hours and twenty-six minutes later Federer clinched his third Grand Slam this calendar year, putting together one of the best seasons ever, with still with a number of tournaments left to play. His ninth Grand Slam title put him five behind his childhood hero, Pete Sampras, who finished his career with fourteen.
Tiger Woods is back to obliterating the competition after a brief stretch where he actually looked human during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Woods attributed this “slump” to changing his swing to take less stress off his knee. Woods is back to dominating form, winning four of the last eight majors, including the last two in row. Woods now owns twelve professional majors, leaving him six behind his own childhood hero, “The Golden Bear” Jack Nicklaus, who holds the record for most professional majors with eighteen. Both players, providing they stay healthy, are in position to challenge the records of their idols.
Active players have provided little in the way of competition for these phenomenal talents. Federer finished last year with a record of 81-4 and is 70-5 this year. His closest rival, Rafael Nadal’s record of 79-10 last year, and 58-7 this year hardly competes with Federer’s marks. Although challenged by Nadal, Federer’s ability to stay consistently above everyone else has him playing at a level unparalleled in the world of tennis. For a short time Federer was challenged by Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick, but as Roddick said after being defeated by Roddick at Flushing Meadows, “I think he’s improving which is scary”.
Tiger, like Federer, has put himself at a level above his rivals. Woods has been challenged at times by David Duval, Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson, yet none of them have managed to stay with him for more than a year or so. Woods briefly lost his spot atop of the World Rankings to Vijay Singh at the end of the ’04 season, but like Federer now looks better than ever. “You would think he would lose his motivation, but that doesn’t seem to happen to Tiger” said Padraig Harrington after watching him shoot scores of 63, 64, 67, 67 at the American Express World Golf Championship en route to his sixth PGA Tour victory in a row this season.
In 2001, he was the only golfer ever to hold all four major championships at one time, nicknamed the “Tiger Slam”. Winning 32 events in 5 years, as he did, as well as holding the number one spot in the rankings for 264 straight weeks was as dominant a period as there ever has been in golf. He either holds or shares the record for lowest score to par in all four major championships.
As they both go forward into the end of their respective seasons and into next year, this friendly rivalry will continue. Commenting on their rivalry Federer said after his US Open win “He says I am three [grand slams] behind. He’s got 12. Who knows? I wouldn’t be surprised if I get a text message next time when he wins.” Barring injury, this could be the most competitive rivalry ever.
