Nadal runs over Federer - Yet Again

Rafael Nadal shows who is Boss by beating the world No. 1 Roger Federer in straight sets at the French Open. The final score showed an unbelievable 6-1, 6-3 and 6-0 to close out a disappointing Final for most tennis fans. He is pretty much invincible currently on clay.

It seemed as though Federer never woke up from his sleep this morning. Nadal started the match with a break in the first game and continued
all the way till the end. Nadal was the clear favorite coming into the match especially because of the clay courts and any other result would have been a surprise. However, nobody expected Federer to roll over and die this way.

Nadal was relentless throughout the game and kept throwing in his winners all across the court. Federer had himself to blame with a very high number of unforced errors which was one of the other things similar to the last final against Nadal as well.

Somehow there is a mental barrier which, the world No. 1, Federer is unable to break against Nadal. It is not the clay courts like it was with another great champion Pete Sampras. Federer has been able to win matches and reach finals on clays unlike Pistol Pete who was a disappointment on clay to say the least. Nadal has been the nemesis whenever Federer has come close to winning a big tournament on clay.

Rafael Nadal also matched the great Bjorn Borg's record of 4 continuous French Open titles and has all potential at 22 years of age to go even further for at least 3 more titles at Roland Garros. Another reason is of course that nobody else in the current tennis scene has got even close to Nadal other than maybe Djokovic who was beaten as badly as Federer if not worse in the semi finals by Nadal this year.

The basic strategy that Federer had was getting to the net but Nadal had an answer at almost all times that Federer tried to get to the net. Nadal made Federer seem too slow on his approach to the net and hit winners that breezed past Federer. Federer showed some signs in the second set and tried some different things and yet Nadal won that one 6-3. That is where, I think, Federer lost all hope of winning while Nadal kept rifling his shots all over. Nadal was hitting his angles and Federer was slow on most occasions in covering them.

Nadal's strategy was to keep Federer as away from the net as possible and he was able to execute his plan to perfection. Playing deep most of the time and keeping Federer way behind the line for pretty much the whole match frustrated Federer with each next point.

It was a complete annihilation of the world No. 1 and he really needs to prepare on a new strategy for the biggest threat to his No. 1 position. The points total read 92-52 in clear favour of Nadal. The match lasted 1hr 48 minutes and almost seemed like Nadal was in a hurry and had to go shopping around Paris and catch a night flight home.

Nadal didn't lose a single set in the whole of the French Open and although he is still No. 2 in the world which he has been for the last 3 years behind Federer, he is almost there. Winning at Wimbledon would make him possibly world No. 1 and he is on track for that. He is a great example for his fitness and improvement where even Federer could learn a a tip or two from him.

Nadal was ruthless throughout and was cursing himself on each point that he lost which weren't many and for me that deserves the title of 'The Perfectionist' for him. Nadal ~ The Perfectionist.

Formally posted on Sportingo