Nadal fights past Federer to lift second French Open title

By Bill Scott Jun 11, 2006, 19:37 GMT

Rafael Nadal of Spain poses with the winner\'s trophy after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland in the men\'s final of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, Sunday 11 June 2006. EPA/CHRISTOPHE KARABA

Paris - Rafael Nadal charged ahead on clay as he held off an early challenge from Roger Federer to win a second consecutive French Open title 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) over the world number 1 on Sunday.

The victory in three hours, two minutes, left the 20-year-old world number 2 the undisputed king of the clay and undefeated 14-0 at Roland Garros.

He has now beaten his Swiss rival in four finals this season - three of them on clay in Monte Carlo, Rome and Paris.

Federer was stopped in his tracks after sweeping a flawless opening set. But a lethal run of well over 20 backhand errors dented the Swiss player's confidence against the power-hitting monster Nadal.

Federer rallied from the brink to break as the second seed served for the match in the fourth set. But those heroics only led to a tiebreaker, where the buccaneering Spaniard closed out victory on his first match point.

'I want to congratulate Roger,' said Nadal, whose record clay win streak now stands at 60 matches.

'He's the most incredible opponent I've ever played in my life. He's practically the best in history, the most complete. I wish him good luck.'

Nadal, who broke four times, called his second Paris trophy 'even more incredible than the first one.' 'To play two finals and win two tiles is just incredible. 'I could have never dreamed of this.

'I had a slow start this season (nursing a foot injury) and never thought I could do this again.'

Federer, unbeaten in seven Grand Slam finals, ended a record of his own as he lost for the first time in 28 matches at majors.

He was playing a fourth consecutive Grand Slam final. Defeat prevented Federer from becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four titles at the majors simultaneously.

'I congratulate Rafa, he played extraordinarily,' said the Swiss. 'This was my first Roland Garros final, so I have to be content about that.

'But it's too bad I lost, I hope to be back here next year in this position to try it again.'

Federer got off to the best possible start, with his high-tempo game serving up immediate dividends.

Breaking the Spaniard for 4-0 gave the on-form top seed early momentum, with Federer reaching 5-0 as he blunted three break points and held as Nadal committed an error.

The Spaniard got onto the scoreboard for 1-5, but Federer quickly closed out the set a game later on his first opportunity.

Nadal quickly returned the favour in a mirror-image second set which left the pair level at one apiece from the Spaniard's own 6-1 effort.

Federer's game appeared to lift early in the third set as the Swiss held to love. But it was only a mirage with Federer missing four chances to break for a 2-1 lead.

Nadal put Federer under pressure before the Swiss slammed a forehand into the net to drop to 2-3.

The run of form continued for Nadal as Federer's trouble mounted on the backhand side. The Swiss finished the ninth game to stay in touch with a pair of aces, 4-5.

But Nadal salted away a two-sets-to-one lead as Federer donated a 20th backhand error on the first of two set points for the Spaniard.

The skid continued for the Swiss as he dropped serve to start the second set, with a confident Nadal appearing in solid control, 1-0.

Federer produced his sixth and seventh aces back-to-back to trail 3-4; another backhand gone wrong left Nadal looking good, 5-3.