After Roger Federer was compared to Lionel Messi this week, we take a look at other tennis players who could be footballers.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion was likened to Barcelona star
Messi after a brilliant behind-the-back shot
against Philipp Kohlschreiber.But which other tennis players share similar characteristics or traits to tennis stars?
Rafael Nadal – Cristiano Ronaldo
If Federer is Messi then there can only be one Ronaldo: Rafael Nadal.
Both battling for supremacy at the top of their respective sports, both knowing their trophy cabinets would be even more full were it not for Federer and Messi, but both with the drive and desire to win even more silverware.
Plus Nadal is a Real Madrid fan, so he enjoys cheering on Ronaldo…
Bernard Tomic – Mario Balotelli
He hasn’t yet set off fireworks in the locker rooms or thrown darts at Roger Federer, but Tomic has definitely been the bad boy of tennis in recent years.
His controversial moments include being dropped from the Australia Davis Cup team for his ‘off-court behaviour’, allegedly getting into a fight in a jacuzzi at 5.30am, being allegedly caught up in a drugs case and seeing his father banned from the tour for headbutting his hitting partner.
Liverpool striker Balotelli’s rap sheet includes setting off fireworks in his bathroom, shoving manager Roberto Mancini and throwing darts at a youth team player, among other things.
Nick Kyrgios – Neymar
One plays in the green and gold of Brazil, the other plays for the green and gold of Australia.
Kyrgios may be lagging behind Neymar in the trophy stakes, but there is no doubt that he is a star of the future who plays with the same love of the game as the Brazilian and also enjoys the occasional showboat…
Andy Murray – Gareth Bale
One carries the weight of a nation on his shoulders, the other carries the weight of Great Britain.
Both Murray and Bale are also used to dealing with criticism on their journeys to the pinnacle of their respective sports.
Bale has taken stick from the Spanish press in his second season at Real Madrid while Murray has incurred the wrath of the British press after saying he would "support anyone playing England" at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Gael Monfils – Zinedine Zidane
A couple of players capable of producing something magical or, occasionally, something mad.
Monfils might be a bit more prone to the latter than the former, but Zidane also lost his head on a few occasions – see his headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final.
At his best, Zidane was magical, graceful and majestic, just as Monfils can be when he decides to play to his full potential.
and lot more to come
