If Roger and Rafa hadn't been born?

Ahead of their semi-final showdown at the Australian Open, we take a look back at some of the classic matches to have taken place between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on the biggest stages in tennis.

It's a beautiful romance ... errr, wait. Rivalry. We mean rivalry. Source: AP

ROGER Federer and Rafael Nadal have won 30 grand slam titles between them, and played one another eight times in the final of a major tournament.

Federer has won more slams than any other man in history. Nadal is third on the list, just one win behind Pete Sampras.

From 2005 to 2010, Roger and Rafa monopolised the majors, taking 21 of the 24 titles on offer.

That's all very stats-heavy. We're really just trying to say that these two have been absurdly dominant, and the tennis world would look completely different without them.

Maybe they should play doubles together? Source: AAP

About that. We've decided to have a bit of fun by rewriting history, pretending Roger and Rafa never existed. Every major title these two have claimed over the years has been re-awarded to the bloke who probably would have grabbed it if they weren't in the way.

Before you read the lovely tables we've compiled, have a squiz at our infallible methodology, which has delivered impossibly hypothetical results with flawless accuracy:

1. Pick a grand slam;

2. Did Roger or Rafa win it? If "no", you're done. If "yes", move on to step three;

3. Was Roger or Rafa the losing finalist? If "no", the runner up is your new champion. If "yes", move on to step four;

4. Look at the two losing semi-finalists. The higher-seeded player is your new champion. If neither player is seeded, the bloke with the higher world ranking at that time is your new champion;

5. Attempt to compile your data into some nice, crisp tables;

6. Smash your keyboard against the desk four times;

7. Ask someone more technologically literate for help;

8. Compile your data into some nice, crisp tables;

Speaking of the tables, here they are. We've picked out the main points of interest underneath.

THE ACTUAL RESULTS

	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
aus open	agassi	federer	safin	federer	federer	djokovic
french	ferrero	gaudio	nadal	nadal	nadal	nadal
wimbledon	federer	federer	federer	federer	federer	nadal
us open	roddick	federer	federer	federer	federer	federer

	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
aus open	nadal	federer	djokovic	djokovic	djokovic
french	federer	nadal	nadal	nadal	nadal
wimbledon	federer	nadal	djokovic	federer	murray
us open	del potro	nadal	djokovic	murray	nadal

IF ROGER AND RAFA DIDN'T EXIST

	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
aus open	agassi	safin	safin	baghdatis	gonzalez	djokovic
french	ferrero	gaudio	puerta	nalbandian	davydenko	djokovic
wimbledon	philippoussis	roddick	roddick	baghdatis	djokovic	safin
us open	roddick	hewitt	agassi	roddick	djokovic	murray

	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
aus open	roddick	murray	djokovic	djokovic	djokovic
french	soderling	soderling	djokovic	djokovic	ferrer
wimbledon	roddick	berdych	djokovic	murray	murray
us open	del potro	djokovic	djokovic	murray	djokovic

So, what happens in this alternative universe?

• Australia picks up two more grand slam titles, with Mark Philippoussis grabbing his only major and Lleyton Hewitt taking his tally to three;

• Novak Djokovic wins 13 majors instead of six, taking him to second on the all-time list. He wins all four grand slams in 2011, in the middle of a seven-slam winning streak. That gives him the extremely rare calendar grand slam - something never achieved by Federer or Nadal. The last man to do it was Australian legend Rod Laver, in 1969;

• Andy Murray wins five majors instead of two;

• Swede Robin Soderling wins back-to-back titles at Roland Garros;

• Big-serving American Andy Roddick wins five majors instead of one;

• Not-quite-so-big-serving American Andre Agassi picks up a ninth grand slam title;

• Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis wins both the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006. Really, that guy? Yeah. That guy;

• Russian Marat Safin doubles his grand slam tally, taking it to four.

Marat likes this alternative reality. Source: News Limited

So, who would win tonight's semi-final if Roger and Rafa didn't exist? There's a headscratcher for you.

Tell us about your own absurdly awesome hypothetical scenarios on Twitter: @SamClench | @newscomauHQ