Il Nuovo Postiglione - One way traffic: Five lopsided tennis rivalries

AFP Sport looks at the Spaniard's dominance as well as four other tales of one-way traffic in tennis:

RAFAEL NADAL v RICHARD GASQUET

17-0

-- The pair first met on the professional circuit on clay in Estoril in 2004 with Nadal winning in three sets. Gasquet has only ever taken four sets off the Spaniard, the last of which came at the Canadian Masters in 2008.

It was not always so one-sided with Gasquet politely reminding his close friend that he did come out on top in a match in France when they were 13.

"He was already running so much. I remember I won a set 6-4, and I told my father he's a big fighter," said 36-year-old Gasquet who is just 15 days younger than Nadal.

ROGER FEDERER v MIKHAIL YOUZHNY

17-0

-- Between 2000 and 2017, Youzhny tried and failed to defeat the great Swiss. The closest he came was at the US Open five years ago where he lost 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the second round.

"I try to find positive things in this. I say OK, he's beaten me 17 times but today it was closer. I say I beat him -- in three sets," said Youzhny.

Before their 2017 New York meeting, Youzhny had won just four sets to Federer's 36 and the losing streak included four losses at the Grand Slams.

BJORN BORG v VITAS GERULAITIS

17-0

-- A seven-year rivalry between the close friends and regular practice partners started in the unlikely surroundings of Tehran in 1974 and ended at Wimbledon in 1981. The colourful Gerulaitis, however, played his part in a memorable Wimbledon semi-final in 1977 before losing 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 8-6.

"There's the rest of us, and then, there's Bjorn Borg," said Gerulaitis.

Gerulaitis also suffered an 18-5 losing record to Jimmy Connors which prompted one of the sport's most famous quotes.

Having won their first meeting in 1972, Connors then swept the next 16. Gerulaitis stopped the rot at the season-ending Masters in 1979 with a 7-5, 6-2 win.

"Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row," he said after achieving victory in New York. He would go on to win four of final six meetings.

IVAN LENDL v TIM MAYOTTE

17-0

-- Over 10 years, American Mayotte tried and failed to defeat the six-time Grand Slam title winner, the closest he came was at the 1982 US Open when he was two sets to one up before losing in five in a second round tie.

"I was cruising through and actually thought I had a shot to win Wimbledon that year. I just came up short, so that was very, very painful," said Mayotte.

SERENA WILLIAMS v MARIA SHARAPOVA

20-2

-- When Sharapova captured the 2004 Wimbledon title with a 6-1, 6-4 blitz over Williams, it was the precocious 17-year-old's second win in the pair's three matches that year.

However, that was as good as it got for Sharapova who went on to lose all 19 of their subsequent meetings.

The greatest tension came off the court, spilling over when Williams unloaded in a 2013 magazine interview about a top five player she didn't like.

"She begins every interview with 'I'm so happy. I'm so lucky' –- it's so boring," Williams told Rolling Stone. "If she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it."

Sharapova interpreted that as a reference to her relationship with Bulgarian player Grigor Dimitrov and the Russian fired back with her own pointed reference to Williams' and her coach Patrick Mouratoglou.

"If Serena wants to talk about something personal, she should talk about her relationship and her boyfriend, who is married, who is getting a divorce and has kids, and not draw attention to other things," she said.

F.M.Buffo--INP