Nadal extends Federer agony

Paris: By the fourth game, Rafael Nadal had Roger Federer kicking the clay in frustration. By the second set, the normally stoic Federer was screaming at himself.


The drubbing went on from there. Nadal won his fourth consecutive French Open title in a rout on Sunday, again spoiling Federer’s bid to complete a career Grand Slam.
Dominating the world’s No. 1 player with astounding ease, Nadal swept six consecutive games early in the match and swept the final nine games to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-0.


It was Federer’s worst loss in his 173 Grand Slam matches, and the shortest Roland Garros men’s final in terms of games since 1977.


For the No. 2-ranked Nadal, it was merely another in a series of dominating victories. He lost only 41 games in seven matches.
The Spaniard became the second man to win four consecutive French Open titles. Bjorn Borg did it in 1978-81.
“I played a perfect match,” said Nadal, who was presented with the trophy by Borg.


“I’m sorry for that final but you played well,” he told Federer. “I want to thank Roger for his attitude on the court.”
Nadal improved to 28-0 at Roland Garros, where he has won 84 of 91 sets. Only six-time champion Borg won more French Open men’s titles. And Nadal became the first man since Borg in 1980 to win the tournament without dropping set.


Borg watched the final from the front row, while much of the crowd rooted for Federer. He arrived in Paris for the fourth consecutive year seeking to become the sixth man to win all four major titles, and each time he has lost to Nadal — in the semi-finals in 2005, and in the final each of the past three years.


Fans chanted “Ro-ger! Ro-ger!” between games, but Nadal earned their cheers in the end. He won six consecutive games for a 2-0 lead in the second set as a desperate Federer tried everything to reverse the tide.
But when Federer played serve-and-volley on a second serve, Nadal lunged to hit a lob into the corner for a winner. When Federer tried to chip and charge off a return, Nadal passed him with a backhand. And when Federer settled for playing from the baseline, he had little chance.


“I would have hoped to do better than four games but Rafael is very, very strong,” Federer told the crowd.
“He dominated this tournament like maybe no one before except Borg, so congratulations, Rafa. It was still a good week. Losing in a final is never easy but I will try again next year.”
Federer did gain a toehold in the second set when he won consecutive games for the only time for 2-all. But he lost serve at 3-4 — hitting a deep volley that Nadal deftly ripped for a winner — and the match quickly slipped away from there.


For Federer, the worst came at the end — a 0-6 set loss. The last time that happened to him was on a slightly smaller stage: the first round at Queen’s against Byron Black in 1999.


On match point, Federer sailed a forehand long, and Nadal raised his arms in triumph. Nadal improved to 9-1 against Federer on clay, with the only loss coming in the 2007 Hamburg final.


Federer is far from alone in his French Open frustration. The list of Grand Slam champions who never won the Roland Garros title includes Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg.
It was also the shortest French Open men’s final in terms of games played since 1977 and the quickest final, at 108 minutes, since 1980.