World number nine Rafael Nadal says his rivalry with Roger Federer transcends tennis as they prepare to meet in Sunday’s Australian Open final.

排名世界第九的拉法雷爾·納達(dá)爾表示自己和費(fèi)德勒之間的對(duì)抗已經(jīng)超越了網(wǎng)球所包含的意義。二人將在本周日的澳大利亞網(wǎng)球公開(kāi)賽男單決賽中展開(kāi)對(duì)決。

Nadal and Federer both endured five-set matches in their semi-finals.

兩人在半決賽皆是鏖戰(zhàn)五盤方才過(guò)關(guān)。

The Spaniard, 30, has won 23 of his 34 meetings with the 35-year-old Swiss, including an unforgettable victory in the 2008 Wimbledon final.

30歲的西班人在與35歲的瑞士人之間34次的交鋒中贏下了其中的23次，其中包括那場(chǎng)讓人難忘的2008年溫網(wǎng)決賽。

"People from outside our world talk about this, and that’s good for our sport," said Nadal.

“網(wǎng)球世界以外的人們都在談?wù)摯耸?，這對(duì)我們這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)非常有好處”納達(dá)爾如是說(shuō)。

"The combination of two styles makes the matches really special," he added.

他還說(shuō)道：“兩種不同的比賽風(fēng)格賦予了這些比賽特殊的意義”。

The head-to-head history also favours Nadal by six wins to two in Grand Slam finals and three to zero at the Australian Open. But the 14-time Major winner says that Sunday’s final meeting will take their rivalry into new territory.

在兩人大滿貫決賽的交鋒史上，納達(dá)爾的戰(zhàn)績(jī)?yōu)?勝2負(fù)，在澳網(wǎng)更是三戰(zhàn)全勝。但是這位14座大滿貫獎(jiǎng)杯的獲得者表示，周日的決賽會(huì)將兩人的對(duì)決推向新的高度。

"That was a long time ago. It is a different match, a different moment for both of us. This match is completely different than what happened before," Nadal added.

“那些都是很久以前的事了。對(duì)我們而言，這將是一場(chǎng)完全不同的比賽，完全不同的時(shí)刻。這場(chǎng)比賽與我們之前進(jìn)行過(guò)的比賽完全不同。”

"I really don’t think about what happened in the past. I think the player who plays better is going to be the winner."

“我沒(méi)有想過(guò)去發(fā)生的事，只有表現(xiàn)好的那個(gè)人才會(huì)成為最后的贏家。”

Comebacks to the future

歸來(lái)

Both Nadal and Federer ended their 2016 seasons early after suffering injuries.

納達(dá)爾和費(fèi)德勒都因傷病早早結(jié)束了2016賽季。

A knee problem kept Federer out of action in the wake of his Wimbledon semi-final defeat by Milos Raonic, while Nadal was sidelined by a wrist injury that forced his withdrawal from the French Open.

在溫網(wǎng)半決賽中負(fù)于米洛斯·拉奧尼奇后，費(fèi)德勒因膝傷結(jié)束了余下賽季。納達(dá)爾則因腕傷而退出了法國(guó)網(wǎng)球公開(kāi)賽。

Federer travelled to Nadal’s home town of Manacor in Majorca for the opening of his rival’s tennis academy in October.

去年10月，費(fèi)德勒來(lái)到納達(dá)爾家鄉(xiāng)馬略卡群島的馬洛卡島，參加了納達(dá)爾網(wǎng)球?qū)W校的開(kāi)幕式。

"That was amazing. I have said hundreds of time, but I can’t stop saying thanks because it was very emotional for everybody," recalled Nadal.

納達(dá)爾回憶道：“太難以置信了，這話我說(shuō)了上百遍，但還是忍不住要說(shuō)感謝，因?yàn)槊總€(gè)人都會(huì)覺(jué)得非常激動(dòng)。”

"In that moment, for sure, we never thought that we have the chance to be in a final again."

“我肯定當(dāng)時(shí)誰(shuí)也想不到我們還會(huì)在決賽中相遇。”

Recovery plans

恢復(fù)計(jì)劃

On Friday the Spaniard beat Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-3 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 in almost five hours to reach a first Grand Slam final since 2014.

本周五西班牙人擊敗了來(lái)自保加利亞的迪米特洛夫，五盤比分為6-3; 5-7; 7-6 (7-5); 6-7 (4-7); 6-4，比賽耗時(shí)近5個(gè)小時(shí)。自2014年以來(lái)，納達(dá)爾再次進(jìn)入大滿貫賽事的決賽。

While Federer was also extended over five sets in his semi-final, the Swiss will have had an extra day to recover from his win over countryman Stan Wawrinka.

費(fèi)德勒雖然同樣經(jīng)歷了五盤大戰(zhàn)，但是卻多休息了一天。費(fèi)德勒在半決賽中擊敗了同胞瓦林卡。

Nadal was in a similar situation in 2009 when he recovered from a gruelling five-hour win over Fernando Verdasco in the last four to beat Federer in the final in Melbourne.

納達(dá)爾在2009年的澳網(wǎng)有著相同的經(jīng)歷。當(dāng)時(shí)他在半決賽經(jīng)歷了與沃達(dá)斯科的五盤惡戰(zhàn)，在決賽中擊敗了費(fèi)德勒。

"That is what I am going to try. I did it in 2009, but I am eight years older," Nadal said.

納達(dá)爾說(shuō)“這正是我嘗試做到的事。2009年我成功了，但是現(xiàn)在我又老了八歲”。

"It is true that if you play a match like I had today, probably you are at a disadvantage. But that’s a special situation. I cannot complain about that. I think it is good.

“如果打了一場(chǎng)我今天所經(jīng)歷的比賽，你大概會(huì)處于劣勢(shì)，但這是一種特殊情況。我不能抱怨，這沒(méi)什么問(wèn)題。”

"But now is not the time to talk about that. It is time to be happy, very happy."

“不過(guò)現(xiàn)在沒(méi)有時(shí)間討論這些了，這是歡樂(lè)的時(shí)刻，是非常歡樂(lè)的時(shí)刻。”

Dimitrov taking positives

充滿斗志的迪米特洛夫

Under the guidance of Andy Murray’s former coach Dani Vallverdu, Dimitrov has risen to number 15 in the world from 40th in July.

在穆雷前任教練達(dá)尼·瓦維度的指導(dǎo)之下，迪米特洛夫的排名從7月份的第四十位躍升至如今的第十五位。

Having pushed Nadal all the way, he believes his Australian Open campaign is a strong base to build his season on.

迪米特洛夫和納達(dá)爾纏斗到了最后，他相信本次澳網(wǎng)之旅將為接下來(lái)的賽季打下堅(jiān)實(shí)的基礎(chǔ)。

"It’s never easy to lose a match like that. I’m happy, though, with a lot of things. I’m going to stay positive and keep my head up high.

“輸?shù)暨@樣的比賽總會(huì)讓人沮喪，然而我卻很開(kāi)心，因?yàn)槲覍W(xué)到了許多。我會(huì)繼續(xù)保持積極的態(tài)度，繼續(xù)昂揚(yáng)前進(jìn)。”

"I’m competing great. Physically I’m getting there. Despite the disappointment, that’s going to feed me, I think, for the upcoming events."

“我打得很棒，從身體上說(shuō)我已經(jīng)非常接近勝利了。盡管有一些不盡如人意之處，但我認(rèn)為這會(huì)為今后的比賽帶來(lái)幫助。”

While refusing to predict the result, the Bulgarian said that Sunday’s final would be a "freakin’ amazing" match.

迪米特洛夫拒絕預(yù)測(cè)決賽結(jié)果，但是這位保加利亞人認(rèn)為周日的決賽將是一場(chǎng)“非常令人難以置信”的比賽。