They boast the greatest rivalry in major tennis history - the only two men to have clashed in all four Grand Slam finals - and now the stage is set for a sequel to their epic six-hour Australian Open decider in 2012.
David Ferrer has come to be comfortable with being a tennis anomaly. Ranked World No 3, Ferrer sits alongside the likes of Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray, yet rarely is he considered in the same company as the 'big four'.
John Isner came from a set down to edge Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-7 7-6 7-6 in a marathon quarter-final at the Heineken Open.
David Ferrer has made a career, not to mention a lot of money, out of his fighting qualities.
Ball girl Beatrice Smit took a 231km/h serve from John Isner in the shoulder yesterday, but the American star says "she was as tough as nails - she didn't flinch".
She may be a full-fledged Wag, but Madison McKinley wasn't there to make the courtside look pretty.
Marinko Matosevic cautiously admits playing Sergiy Stakhovsky today for a place in the Sydney International semifinals is far more appealing than facing the great Roger Federer.
Mark down day three of the Heineken Open as the day of the US onslaught.
If ball kids were paid, they might get danger money when John Isner is playing.
Agnieszka Radwanska insists she can still contend for Australian Open honours despite carrying a worrying shoulder injury.
Maybe it's the beer, the bagels or the baseball but it's fair to say John Isner likes the comforts of home.
Lleyton Hewitt has pulled out of the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, saying the toll on his ageing body could have spoiled his Australian Open bid.
Fifth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber needed to draw on all his 10 years of experience playing in Auckland's unique Stanley St venue to get past his first-round opponent.
Ross Hutchins talks about it like it was an inconvenience rather than something that could have killed him.
Rubin Statham was ousted from the Heineken Open today by Lukas Lacko in 69 minutes, leaving the singles draw shorn of any Kiwis midway through the first round.
Watching tennis from their own apartment with a never-ending beer supply, a 24-hour concierge and six of their closest friends wasn't a bad way to ease in.
Professional sport is becoming an increasingly younger athlete's business but it doesn't seem to be the case in tennis.
There is probably as much chance of a home-grown male singles champion at the Australian Open as there is of Lleyton Hewitt arriving at Melbourne Park.
The parlous state of New Zealand tennis was laid bare on the opening day of the Heineken Open, with all three Kiwi hopes outclassed in the qualifying rounds.
Three New Zealand players have failed to reach the main draw of the Heineken Open after losing in qualifying matches today.
It might be just the first tournament of the year, when players are a little rusty after the off-season, but there are positive signs.
Each year David Ferrer comes to the Heineken Open and each year he tends to win it.
Flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils has withdrawn from this week's Heineken Open, citing fatigue after reaching the final of the Qatar Open in Doha.
A unique phase in NZ tennis will come to an end in the next few weeks, as Kiwi GD Jones ends his coaching association with world No20 Kevin Anderson.
Heineken Open tournament director Karl Budge expects John Isner to play this week, despite an ankle injury that forced the American out of the Hopman Cup.