Swiss superman Roger Federer rallied from two sets to love down to subdue Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal 2-6, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-1 in Miami on Sunday and claim the ATP Masters Series title at Key Biscayne.
Federer, the world number one who claimed his fifth title of the year, won his 22nd straight match and extended his 2005 record to an astonishing 32-1, but Nadal made him work every step of the way.
”I really didn’t expect to turn it around,” admitted Federer after the three hours and 42 minutes marathon. ”I haven’t dug out many matches in my career. I’m extremely happy, and exhausted.
”What a pity for him,” Federer added with a flash of empathy. ”But we’ll see much more from him, I’m sure.”
Nadal, appearing in his first Masters Series final and bidding for the first hard-court title of his career after four triumphs on clay, broke Federer for a 3-1 lead in the third set. Federer had a chance to return the favour in the next game, and berated himself when he hit a forehand long.
”I’m hoping it’s not going to be over in two games,” Federer said of his feelings at that point. ”I felt I was missing my opportunities to get back in the match.
”I really was hoping just to stay with him, then I got back, played a few really good games and pushed him to the tiebreaker. That set was crucial, of course.”
Federer did break back in the seventh game to narrow the gap to 4-3, and held for 4-4.
Federer had another break opportunity in the ninth game, but Nadal saved it with a winner on his second serve, and when Nadal held his serve for 5-4, the normally mild-mannered Federer slung his racquet in disgust.
”I was very disappointed,” Federer said. ”I was missing one opportunity after another. I was climbing uphill all the time. I just had enough. I threw it hard, maybe it did me good, who knows?”
”Of course it’s surprising to see Federer throwing his racquet, but it makes you think you’re closer to victory,” Nadal said.
Despite Federer’s obvious frustration, he kept Nadal at bay in the third-set tiebreaker. The Spaniard led 5-3, but that was as close as he came to a match point as Federer won the next four points to claim the set.
Federer won the fourth set in just 30 minutes, never facing a break point, and in the fifth Nadal looked weary as Federer claimed the last five games of the match.
He said it was emotional as well as physical fatigue.
”It was a little of both,” Nadal said. ”When you get to that point, and you’re playing against the best player in the world, it’s tough mentally.”
Nadal, who beat Federer 6-3, 6-3 in the third round in Miami last year in their only previous meeting, had again appeared to have the Swiss player’s number as he claimed the first set without facing a break point.
”I was very worried today, especially the first set. I don’t lose sets very often 6-2,” Federer said. ”I was struggling. It’s got a lot to do with his game.”
The two traded breaks in the opening game of the second set, but Federer appeared to be finding his range when he broke Nadal in the fourth, then held his serve to love to lead 4-1.
He seemed to lose momentum after a shocking error in the eighth game, however, when he slammed an overhead into the court on his own side of the net.
Nadal held serve in that game, and when Federer served for the set in the next, the Spaniard broke him.
Federer still had two chances to close out the set in the 10th game, but Nadal fought off both break points as they went to the tiebreaker.
Nadal led 3-1 and then 6-2 in the tiebreaker, but Federer held off one set point with an ace and another with an angled forehand that Nadal could only smack into the net. Nadal finally closed out the second set when Federer netted a forehand.
”To come through in the end is unbelievable,” said Federer, who had a 7-8 record in five-setters and had come back from two sets to love deficit twice before in his career.
”I’ve hardly ever done it in my career,” he said. ”And against a player of this calibre, it’s not the normal thing that I’m doing.”
Federer claimed his second straight title in the Masters Series, after defending his title at Indian Wells, California, earlier this month.
He became the first top seed to win in Miami since Pete Sampras beat Andre Agassi in 1994, and in doing so preserved a winning streak in finals that stretches back to July 2003, when he lost to Jiri Novak in the title match in Gstaad shortly after claiming his first Wimbledon title. — Sapa-AFP