Rafael Nadal was 19 years old when he won his first grand-slam singles title: the victory in the French Open final in 2005 over Mariano Puerta, the barrel-chested Argentinian, that announced him to the tennis world whose trophies he has been taking chunks out of since.
Today, on Rod Laver Arena, Nadal will come face to face with a teenager who is nothing like him as a player but will be carrying a burden he knows only too well, that of potential icon. Bernard Tomic is a strapping young Australian of Croatian descent who — this week — is striking all the right chords with his media and public.
Tomic reached the third round of a grand-slam main draw for the first time after defeating one of Nadal’s firmest friends, Feliciano López, of Spain, 7-6, 7-6, 6-3. The world No 1 rather took the wind out of Aussie sails when asked whether he might need to rethink his practice strategy to face such a force in the game. Nadal answered that his day off would probably involve relaxing and taking himself to the aquarium. “I always go and I haven’t been there yet,” he said.
As for how Tomic might be feeling, Nadal could recall the sense of wonder to be out on the court, hitting free, running wild. The expectations in Spain never did seem as all-encompassing as those in Australia — or Britain. “It Is much easier when you are a teenager, I think,” he said. “When you have [are] 17 or 18, everything is easier. You play with no pressure. You can win, you can lose, everything is fine. That’s a different mentality. You can play more aggressive.
“When you arrive, you hit all the balls like crazy and without thinking. When you are there [indicating a high level] you start to think a little bit more about you have to play this shot, you have to play another shot, I can’t lose this match, I have to win this match for sure. That’s a little bit more problems.
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“When you are coming up, you play quarter-finals perfect; you play semi-finals fantastic; you play finals very good; and if you win, is unbelievable. So that is a different view and different perspective of the game — the pressure is higher when you are in the top.”
Every consideration ought to be given to Tomic’s future and that, however he does against Nadal, he will take more away from the match than the result.
One day perhaps, Tomic may be in among the very best in the world and that brings extra perils. In the first four days of the women’s event, three former No 1 players, Dinara Safina, of Russia — who did not win a game against Kim Clijsters — Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, both of Serbia, have bitten the dust. Jankovic lost 7-6, 6-3 to Shuai Peng, of China, yesterday and looked a shadow of her former self.