Nadal grabs sixth French Open title
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World No. 1 Rafael Nadal defeated the third seed Roger Federer in four sets to win the French Open title for the sixth time on Sunday.
Nadal, 25, took the opening two sets 7-5, 7-6 (3) before the 29- year-old Swiss pulled one back 7-5. But the 16-time Grand Slam champion Swiss lost control in the fourth set, seeing the Spaniard wrapping it up 6-1.
Nadal became the second player to make the achievement of six titles at Roland Garros after Sweden legend Bjorn Borg.
"To win this final against one the best players in the world and in history is something which is really fantastic for me," said Nadal, who also earned his 10th Grand Slam title with the victory. "It's one of my most beautiful dreams."
The top-ranked Nadal improved his record at Roland Garros to 45- 1, and to 17-8 against Federer. In Grand Slam finals, Nadal is now 6-2 against his main rival.
"As it often happens, he is the best on clay," Federer said. " He proved it once again."
Nadal was playing to Federer's backhand on Court Philippe Chatrier, but even the 16-time Grand Slam champion's forehand was off. He committed 56 unforced errors in the match, while Nadal had only 27.
In the break of service that finally broke Federer for good, the Swiss missed an easy forehand, double-faulted and then put a forehand into the net. That gave Nadal a 3-1 lead in the fourth set, and enough to hold on for victory.
Nadal is the second youngest man to reach 10 major titles. The only one younger was Borg.
He's also about six months younger than Federer was when he won his 10th.
Federer looked like the one to beat early in the match, breaking Nadal's first service game and later holding a set point while leading 5-2.
But the turning point came on that very point, when Federer tapped a backhand drop shot that landed just outside the line. The 2009 champion argued his case, but the chair umpire, off his perch and jogging across the court to investigate, ruled the ball was out.
After a forehand return into the net and a backhand winner from Nadal, Federer folded.
Nadal won seven straight games after that point, breaking Federer for the first time in the next game and then holding to 5- 5 and breaking yet again when Federer sent a forehand into the net. In the final game, Federer led 15-30 but Nadal won three straight points to take the set.
In the second set, the Swiss won seven points in a row after the rain break, breaking Nadal and then holding to 6-5. But after Nadal held in the 12th game, the Spaniard dominated the tiebreaker, jumping out to a 4-0 lead and then 6-2 before his forehand winner ended the set.
Nadal earned his fifth break in the third set to take a 4-2 lead, but Federer wasn't giving up yet. He broke back at love and then held to 4-4 with his 10th ace.
In the 11th game, Federer broke again with a forehand tap that Nadal couldn't reach. Needing four points to win the set, Federer produced three winners and one error after Nadal had sent a forehand into the net on the first point.
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