Fast and furious: Hitting with Rafa and Roger

Ever wonder what it's like to play against Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer?

It's a fast-paced, mentally draining, physically exhausting, intimidating process that typically results in being worn down to submission. The little yellow ball zooms forward, twisting in a swish of speed and power, and the goal is to hit it back - again and again and again.

Nothing quite prepares even the pros for playing Rafa and Roger. Just ask their rivals.

Federer's opponent Friday was 30-year-old Xavier Malisse, a Belgian who has known the Swiss star since they were 12. They both turned pro in 1998. Malisse never quite became a household name, while Federer went on to win 16 Grand Slam titles and is commonly called one of the greatest players of all time.

''He's extraordinary,'' Malisse said in an interview after losing their third-round match, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. Like most players who lose to Federer, he was disappointed but reverential. ''His style was like that in the beginning, when he was 12. But when you see how it evolved - it's another world.''

''When he hits the ball, there's an incredible speed. You're always on the defensive. You have to adapt to each point but you don't have time,'' said Malisse, who is ranked 45th from a career high of No. 19. ''He's a perfect player.''

The 29-year-old Federer exudes calm on the court and an effortless grace, which belies the intense power of his shots and his ability to usually outthink and outmaneuver opponents by anticipating their next move.

Federer often says that after all these years he still enjoys tennis, and his enjoyment is apparent on the court. He is not tortured by the pressure of living up to his reputation. After Friday's match, he was asked what keeps him excited about tennis and Federer said he loves playing on center courts around the world.

''It takes a lot of hard work to get there,'' said Federer, who has a staggering record of 755 wins during his career and 177 losses. ''When you're there, you want to stay there.''

Nadal's style is different. The 24-year-old Spaniard is muscular, intense and phenomenally athletic. He relentlessly chases down balls and pounds them back with viscous topspin. Since Nadal turned pro in 2001, he has won 477 matches and lost 102. He owns nine Grand Slam singles trophies.

Together, Federer and Nadal have monopolized the No. 1 and No. 2 year-end rankings since 2004. Nadal is currently in the top spot and trying to complete a ''Rafa Slam'' by winning his fourth Grand Slam in a row. Federer is bidding to become the second man in history to win five Australian Opens. A Federer-Nadal matchup in Melbourne could only happen in the final.

Frenchman Gilles Simon gave Federer his biggest scare of the tournament so far, pushing him to five demanding sets in the previous round.

Simon has been ranked as high as No. 6. He is one of only three men on the tour - beside Nadal and Andy Murray - with a winning record against the Swiss great but he said Federer remains an enigma to him.

Simon described the experience of playing against Federer as ''a little bit strange.''

''You look at the ball, and you have the impression that you can't do anything in the moment,'' he said, adding that he felt like he was running nonstop for three hours, while Federer was still speedy at the end. ''I feel like he's in control, he can do whatever he wants.''

No. 5 Andy Murray holds an 8-to-6 edge over Federer but has never beaten him at a Grand Slam, including last year's Australian Open final. He makes it a point to study Federer and Nadal.

''If they're on TV and you're in the hotel, you'll definitely sit and watch some. You can learn a lot from those guys,'' Murray said.

No. 3 Novak Djokovic is directly behind Rafa and Roger in the rankings but considers the gap enormous.

''I'm in this small group of players behind them that is trying to challenge them in each event,'' Djokovic said earlier this week. He has succeeded in beating Nadal 7 out of 23 times. He has beaten Federer in 6 of their 19 matches.

''They are physically fit and mentally very strong,'' said Djokovic, the 2008 Australian Open champion who finished No. 3 last year for the fourth year in a row.

Like others, Djokovic marveled at Federer's and Nadal's seeming lack of weaknesses and their ability to keep getting better and stronger.

''This mental strength is I guess a big advantage over the other opponents,'' he said. ''They always play in full speed, especially Nadal.''

Nadal's most recent victim was American qualifier Ryan Sweeting on Thursday. Nadal's quick, clinical straight-set win didn't take long but left the 23-year-old American wiped out.

''Mentally it was draining. It wore me physically,'' Sweeting said.

''I'm running, running, and running just to get a point in the game,'' he said. ''With Rafa, he's so fast and so strong that he gets there and he gets the ball back deep and you have to start all over. You have to win the point two or three times just in order to get a 15-love.''

But he wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

''I was very excited,'' Sweeting said. ''It's not every day you get to go head-to-head against the No. 1 player in the world, possibly one of the best to ever play the game.''