Battle of the titans...

3-2 in this first set

Some exceptional, exceptional serving from Fed - 4 aces in a row in that last game :D

3-3

Nadals forehand explosive as ever...

Fed finds himself facing a breakpoint, and saves it...deuce. Fantastic backhand down the line...

:peek:

Rap that forehand down the line - Advantage Fed!!

Look at that play on the pressure points!

Game Federer!!

Good match so far. Fed's FH held in the tough situation but I fear that over time the UEs start to increase as confidence decreases.

Nadal ostensibly peppering Feds backhand...great play from both players

4-4

Wonderful, wonderful volley to seal the game...

Fed 5-4 in the 1st set

Good use of angles from Fed - I think he needs to do that more if he wants to take Nadal off the court? Good confidence boost, too...

30-0...on a break for the set.

And he breaks!

Fed takes the first set 6-4.

1-0 in the 2nd set, with Fed leading 0-30.

Sensational shot from Federer...

I expect an easy 2nd set for Fed as his confidence will grow and Nadal will tire.

Brilliant - Fed mixing up the play nicely, some great BH from Fed

0-40

Game Federer.

The way Fed is playing, I wouldn't be surprised...but Nadal just doesn't ever seem to tire, and remembering Rome...never say never :D

Fed just swoops through that game - he's up 3-0 in the 2nd set.

Slowly but surely, is Federer finding a way to conquer his nemesis? He still has an inferior H2H, but Federer is the one who's turning this around...not Nadal.

:coffee:

I actually think Nadal tires very easily nowadays. And even back then his 5 sets wins were more down to opponents not able to cross the line than Nadal's stamina.

PS - of course not all his 5 setters but the one in Rome and the one versus Coria in Rome or MC...can't remember.

Are there baked goods on the agenda?

Soderling, Youzhny and Federer are good examples of Nadal coming back in 5 sets. I am not surprised at him tiring now, but think he's proved his worth earlier in the season?

? Business as usual for Fed?

yup :yawn:

:D Federers just gone totally into 'the zone'

Hugely frustrating for Rafa to keep getting aced. He looks furious. It's just too much for him.

Commentator bs comment thus far: great match up tomorrow, with Federer serving like this against "the best returner of the game THIS YEAR"

what?! I know Ferrer is playing well...but best returner this year?!

Breadstick for Rafa, taking the H2H to 8-6...

Federer wins 6-4, 6-1.

I am at Frankfurt airport (hello Lex) and followed the match here.

Excellent result for Fed. :bow: :bow: :bow:

A pity that he didn't use the chance to clinch the Golden Bagel Award though ... :P

:blink:

um... that seemed over in a blink of an eye!

:clap: for Fed!

I managed to watch that game early on btw, where Rafa got 30-0 or something up on Fed's serve, and then I think Roger hit 4 aces in a row (or something like that). Rafa looked at him and seemed to think 'What the F**K' ... :D

He did hit 4 in a row, and Nadal looked mightily annoyed!

That can't be how Rafa wanted to end his year ... testing times for the bum-touching spaniard.

You'd be too. ;)

Rafa never really started nor ended his seasons well anyway.

Indeed I would!! That's why I have to admire Roddick :D

The way it's worked out, it seems we do have the best two players over this week heading into the final...

agreed

Good result for Federer, if he'd lost today his #1 ranking could have been looking pretty shaky going into next years AO

roflmao

What an embarrassement for the world no. 2! :unsure: This was almost as bad as Henin -v- Kuzzy USO final! :rolleyes:

People who find Federer boring shouldn't call themselves tennis fans.

Wow! I didn't catch the match but sounds like he manhandled Rafa here.... :bow: :bow: Respect to the Fedster here.... that h2h with Rafa is slowly turning around for him.

I think it's more of a case of people getting bored of Federer winning all the time rather than being bored of Federer's tennis, which is sublime and in a class of it's own. And I have to admit Federer dominating was boring last year, but this year has seen a lot more challenges....and maybe those challenges will be taken to GS level next year... :ok:

Yep MJT, even if he wins tomorrow, this year would be ruined if he misses the Big one (GoldenBAgelAward) :yikes:

Such a great forecast here by Tenez :ok: :ok: (well this compensate your mistake with Canas in Miami my friend :doh: :doh: )

In any case: What a display today from FED from the 5-4 on ..Man..

But in general this master cup is just amazing for him..

This guy is just out of this world: Come on!!

He was under pressure the entire week after his (unexpected) lost against Gonzo (LOL and all those articles about the end of FED..And his decline LOL) and then what happens..

One match to re-establish the order in a nervous way (at least during the first set)i.e. his first set against Davy..

A second set to re-start the engine and provide a certain amount of good winners (from the BH, please)..

And then a training session to reach the good temperature (i.e. the two sets against AROD: Great second set by FED BTW)..

And then a clear crystal performance (once again in particular from his BH side) against Rafa..

Man... :yahoo: :yahoo: Genius :clap: :clap:

FED :bow: :bow: Even the Swiss clocks do not work in a such perfect way :yahoo: :yahoo:

:ok:

It's great seeing such wonderful tennis from the no.1 :bow:

Yes good result for Fed but lets take a big reality check here folks, they were playing on a fast indoor court. Rafa is a clay courter, he was never going to win on this surface against Fed... :shrug:

No the biggest embarrassment was then world number 2 Maria getting creamed by Grumpy at the Oz Open... :D :clap: :doh:

Well, well, well, his most impressive victory over Rafa so far? Although i have to say in the beginning of the first set Roger's game was still not fully stretched to its limit, whereas Rafa definitely was on top of his game until 4-4; Rafa also served really well and i remember he hit only 2 UE's in the first 9 games(!) But this is what's happening when Roger starts to play free, and away from clay Rafa just cannot cope with this stuff, plain and simple.
For me as a Federer fan it was exiting to see he dealt in almost a irrespective manner with Rafa's attempts to nails him in the backhand corner. Roger just didn't allow Rafa to put pressure on that BH for more than 2 points in a row by playing with so much variety from the BH.
The second set... well, i guess this is about as good as Fed can play.
I'm sorry Rafa fans, but I’ve been waiting a long time for a Fed-Nad encounter with Fed fulfilling his potential