World Finals: Federer, The Federest
Federer beat Nadal to claim his fifth Finals trophy
When he hit the last winner, time stood still for the timeless Swiss. He needed to be told by the umpire that the ball had touched the line. Only then could he show a little smile for the huge victory. Roger Federer claimed his fifth World Tour Finals trophy after beating world number one Rafa Nadal 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in London’s dream final. It was for the first time that the Top 2 had contested the Finals last term since 1986. Then Ivan Lendl would pass second-ranked German Boris Becker. Federer needed three break points and one hour and 37 minutes in order to raise the trophy over his head.
The two went head-to-head until the eighth game of the opening. Then Roger took a two-game advantage after breaking Nadal for 5-3 to serve for the set in the ninth. The 29-year-old claimed the first set in just 32 minutes. The was the one who played better in the opening, hitting ten winners in the first games that saw Nadal winning his points from Swiss’s unforced errors. Looking for his first World Tour Finals trophy, Nadal played better in the second set, this looking for the Spaniard the way the first looked for Roger. He broke the Swiss in the fourth game to go 5-2. Roger served and made it 5-3, the next game bringing instead Rafa’s leveling.
Unlike Nadal, Federer played a complete tennis. The Swiss played very well both defensively and offensively, while the Spaniard resumed, especially in the first part, to play only defensively. Roger’s backhand looked the way he expects to look every time. Thus, he stunned the Spaniard with several crosses and not once. Finally, the third set found Federer more relaxed and also more focused, playing very well the crucial points. He would broke the Nadal twice, first in the fourth game and then in the sixth. He went 3-1 and 5-1 to serve for the championship. Not only did he do it high style, but Federer claimed the last game to zero, finishing with a great forehand down the line.
Roger reached the final with zero sets conceded. He finished top spot in the group B to pass third Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the semi final. On contrast, Rafa lost one set against Andy Roddick in the first group, but also had a great tournament at the O2. “He played unbelievable. He was unplayable I think in this first set. I just can congratulate him for his victory and another great tournament for him. He played unbelievable during all the week without losing a set, being in the final. So his level was very high. I tried my best this afternoon, but he was better than me,” said Nadal of the Swiss. The two are expected to play two exhibition games next month.
The Finals trophy brought Roger Federer $1,6 million to become the richest tennis player in history (around $60 million)
Roger claims his 21st major trophy in career after he won four Australian Open titles, one French Open, six Wimbledon, five US Open and five World Finals, last occasion this year when the Swiss beat Andy Murray in Melbourne. But it remains to be seen whether the former world champion will catch Nadal in their head-to-head meetings. The Spaniard leads 14-8. In 2005 Nadal beat Roger in Roland Garros’s semi final in their first Grand Slam meeting. In 2006 and 2007 Nadal would beat Roger in the French Open final, but lose in Wimbledon’s. Two years ago, the Spaniard won his first Wimbledon after claiming the French Open, as well. Last year the two met again at the Australian Open. Nadal would triumph for the first time in Melbourne. In 2010 they met twice. Nadal passed Federer in the final at the Madrid Masters.
Rolling Stones Ronnie Wood, Diego Maradona, London’s mayor Boris Johnson and Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of York were all in the stands on Sunday’s final.
Roger also won his fifth title of the season. Winner of the first Grand Slam in Australia, the Swiss finished first in Cincinnati, Stockholm and Basel. On contrast, Nadal finishes his best year with seven titles, including three Grand Slams and three Masters tournaments (Monte Carlo, Rome and Madrid) and the Japanese tournament from Tokyo. He is about to provide a unique performance of claiming all the fourth Grand Slams in a row. If he wins in Melbourne next year, he will complete all the majors within one year. Unlike Roger, who won 16 Grand Slam titles, Nadal claimed to his ninth at the Flushing Meadows this year.
Roger would declare after the game that he has no plans to retire. “I have no plans at all - stopping, quitting, whatever you want to call it,” said the Swiss. On the news conference, the best tennis player in history said that he considers all the great moments much greater than all the money he earned. Indeed, he finished the year in style. It’s been a season in which he proved once again that he is still able to play at the highest level against the Top ATP players.
Nadal’s loss didn’t make Roger consider him a weaker player. But on the contrary, the Swiss knows that Sunday’s defeat won’t take the Spaniard anything away from what he has already collected this season. There is no doubt that the great moments will continue for the Swiss, as well as for Nadal. 2011 promises to be another year in which the two will remain the main favorites everywhere, taking into account they were the only ones to share the majors this year.
