Nadal Downs Federer To Win Sixth Roland Garros Trophy
Nadal wins sixth French Open trophy
King of clay Rafa Nadal has won his sixth French Open trophy of career after stunning Roger Federer in a four-set epic to equal Bjorn Borg’s record for Roland Garros successes. The 25-year-old Spaniard beat the third seed Swiss 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1 and remains top spot in the ATP rankings.
Federer, who had a better start and whose backhand worked perfectly, much better than ever, broke the defending champion in the second game to secure a 3-0 comfortable advantage, which he dropped right afterwards. Nadal came from behind and managed to win five games in a row after being led 2-5 at one point. Roger couldn’t do anything but witness his own ruining and a lively Nadal who was imrpving by every point played.
The main favorite first broke Federer in the ninth game to male it 4-5 and even level the score after his next service. The 29-year-old Swiss, who was losing pace as the game progressed, gifted Nadal a late service and thus the opener. All his early work was destroyed in about 30 minutes by a sparking Rafa who started the second round with an early lead. Statistics say that every time Nadal wins the first set in a Grand Slam match, he grabs the victory, too. His impressive record includes 117 successes of 118 major matches.
Rafa made it even seven in a row after taking the first two games of the second set and threatening with an early win. Roger broke him back in the eighth game to level the score to four. The Spaniard then went 5-4 ahead after winning another break, but the rain stopped the game at 5-4, 40-40 to the defending champion. The two came back after ten minutes and Roger grabbed the break, pushing the game into the tie-break.
Just like in the first set, Nadal had a poor start, but managed to overcome his opponent and set a four-mini-break lead he would transform into a 2-0 overall one. As for the third set, it found Roger shining pretty bright and dispelling Nadal’s 4-2 advantage with some tremendous backhand shots and several aces. Rafa first broke him in the sixth, only to be denied in the next game. That was also the running point of the game as Federer would win four of the next five games. He cut the deficit to on after another break won in the 11th.
Finally, the fourth set highlighted the Spaniard powering through and winning the first game in a champion manner, coming from 0-40 behind. Roger then made it 1-1, but what would happen stunned everyone around, including the Swiss. Not only did he hold and break his opponent, but Nadal won five games in a row, clinching the victory in three hours and 50 minutes, the last set lasting just 36 minutes. The Spaniard has thus crowned his 25 birthday anniversary with a sixth French trophy which is also his 46th career title.
Nadal has won his tenth Grand Slam trophy and stopped Federer from clinching his 17th Grand one and 22nd major one. Rafa is also winner of the 2011 Barcelona Open and Monte Carlo Masters, successes which has helped him to stay top in the world rankings. But had Roger won the clash, the Spaniard would have dropped second and Novak Djokovic, who was ousted by the Swiss in the semi finals, would have climbed first.
Said a delighted Nadal: “It’s fantastic to win this final against the player who’s certainly the best in the world, the best in history. It’s a very special, outstanding tournament for me. It’s one of my wildest dreams come true.” The head to head series between the two best players have now gone 17-8 to the Spanish player who had previously beaten Roger at the 2011 Madrid Masters.
That was also the 19th final between the two. Nadal has won 13 last terms against the Swiss, while Roger has defeated him six times, last occasion at the 2010 World Tour Finals.
Rafa’s route to the final included a five-set win over John Isner whom he ousted 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, and a straight-set one over compatriot Pablo Andujar whom he eased past 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 in the second round. The third term found the Spaniard ousting Antonio Veic 6-1, 6-3, 6-0, while the fourth term brought him another easy progress thanks to a three-set victory over Ivan Ljubicic whom the world champion eliminated 7-5, 6-3, 6-3.
Finally, the semi final brought Nadal a precious win over fifth favorite Robin Soderling whom he upset in three sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4. On the other side, Roger Federer had followed a clear win over second seed and main favorite Novak Djokovic whom he ousted 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6. In the quarter finals, the Swiss beat compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 while the previous rounds brought him straight-set wins over Janko Tipsarevic, Maxime Teixeira and Feliciano Lopez.
Nadal is to pocket 1,200,000 euro and 2000 points ATP, while Roger will receive a 600,000-euro check and 1,200 points ATP. Rafa’s next stop is the Queens event which is scheduled to start on Monday, while Roger starts the Halle event as top seed, being expected to meet Lleyton Hewitt in the first term.
Roland Garros Prize Money and points:
Winner – 1,200,000 euro and 2000 points ATP
Finalist – 600,000 euro and 1,200 points ATP
Semi finalist – 300,000 euro and 720 points ATP
Quarter finalist – 150,000 euro and 360 points ATP
R16 – 75,000 euro and 180 points ATP
R32 – 42,000 euro and 90 points ATP
R64 – 25,000 euro and 45 points ATP
R128 – 15,000 euro and 10 points ATP
