Rafael Nadal forced Roger Federer out of his comfort zone to defeat the Swiss for the fourth time in five meetings with a 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) victory on Sunday to win the Monte Carlo Masters.
Success in three hours and 49 minutes marked Federer’s second defeat this season — both at the hands of the teenage Spaniard who also beat the world number one in last month’s Dubai final.
”It was a very unbelievable day for me,” said Nadal. ”It’s special to begin the clay season like this. Beating Roger in the final is even more special, it’s great.”
The reigning French Open champion beat his hot rival for the second time on clay after ousting Federer in the Roland Garros semifinal last year on his way to the title.
But even in defeat — and with an unaccustomed 78 unforced errors — Federer analysed the loss with calm precision.
”I have to adjust a lot to play against him,” said the top seed, now with a 33-2 win-loss record in 2006. ”I have to make split-second decisions since the ball’s coming from a lefty.
”I played better against him than the last time [on clay at Roland Garros last year]. The more I play him, the easier it will get for me. I need experience to figure out his game.”
Federer shrugged off his losing record against the talented 19-year-old, winner of eight clay crowns in 2005.
”I’ve had three losses in a row against him — of course I wish I could have won them,” explained Federer. ”But they don’t break down my will or hope. I care more about not losing to him in grand slams and to be ahead more than 2 000 points in the rankings — that’s what I care about.”
The Swiss added: ”It would have been nice to beat him, but I’ll leave here after this one night and forget about it.”
Federer lost the opening set with 24 unforced errors, but the Swiss began a fightback in the second after getting a break back against the Spaniard, who took a taping for blisters on his left racket hand before the match and at the start of the third set.
The top seed, who has now lost three of his past seven finals after winning the previous 24, levelled the contest as he took the second by winning a tie-breaker.
But Nadal struck back, going up a double break in the third and claimed a tie-break victory in the fourth to wrap up the win on a first match point.
Federer could not convert a 40-0 lead in the first game of the fourth into a 1-0 lead. Instead, he dropped to 0-3 before eventually getting the breaks back but losing in the concluding tie-breaker to the charged-up Spaniard.
Victory marked Nadal’s 42nd straight win on clay and ended Federer’s winning run of 29 in a row at the Masters Series level.
The Iberian world number two now owns back-to-back titles in the principality, having beaten Argentina’s Guillermo Coria in a five-set marathon last year.
Federer insisted he never got flustered. ”I was feeling good at the start of the third set. It was a good match, I enjoyed the battle against him. It answered a lot of questions I had before the clay season. This has been a fantastic week. I think I played a smart match.” — Sapa-AFP