(Supplied by Tennis World USA)
Rafael Nadal claimed his fourth consecutive Roland Garros crown in 2008 following a memorable overcome Roger Federer within the title conflict! The spring of 2008 noticed nothing new in males’s tennis, with Nadal because the dominant determine through the clay swing.
The Spaniard conquered Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Hamburg and got here to Paris as a transparent favourite. Rafa proved that within the opening 5 encounters, shedding 25 video games in 15 units (!!) and setting the semi-final conflict towards Novak Djokovic.
The Serb gave him a correct check, and the Spaniard handed it to rearrange his third consecutive Roland Garros remaining versus Roger Federer. Rafa once more proved too sturdy for the world’s finest participant in Paris, sealing the deal 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in dominant type and conquering the title with out shedding the set.
It was essentially the most one-sided Roland Garros remaining since 1977 and Federer’s worst lead to a Main remaining. Nadal wanted an hour and 48 minutes to outplay his nice rival for the third time within the title clashes in beneath two months, notching his eleventh win over Federer in 17 encounters.
Rafa was in full management from begin to end, shedding serve as soon as and stealing 60% of the return factors to push Roger to the bounds. The Spaniard created 17 break factors and transformed eight to carry the match house in type and rejoice his fourth Main title.
Federer served at 69%, however that gave him nothing towards a rock-solid rival on the opposite aspect. The Swiss did not impose his photographs or do something towards Nadal’s concrete protection. Rafa had extra winners and tamed his strokes fantastically, protecting his backhand secure and dictating the tempo along with his fearsome forehand.
The Swiss was fully overpowered in each division. He misplaced the sting within the shortest factors the place he ought to have harm Rafa and pale from the court docket within the mid-range and extra prolonged rallies to gather simply 4 video games.
Rafael Nadal dropped solely 4 video games towards Roger Federer at Roland Garros 2008.
Nadal kicked off the match with a break when Federer despatched a straightforward forehand broad. The defending champion saved two break factors in recreation two to substantiate his lead after a service winner.
Roger denied two break factors in recreation three to keep away from a extra important deficit. Nonetheless, Rafa held at love within the subsequent one to open up a 3-1 benefit, doing every little thing proper within the opening video games of the match. He was throughout Roger, and a backhand winner delivered a break at love for him in recreation 5 and despatched him 4-1 forward.
The Spaniard produced a commanding maintain for 5-1 and wrapped up the set with one other break a couple of minutes later after the Swiss’ unfastened volley. Rafa was 60-1 at Majors after successful the opening set, and this was not the day he would expertise the second loss.
Nadal held at love firstly of the second set with a backhand down the road winner and prolonged his streak. Taking part in miles beneath his finest, Federer sprayed a forehand error within the second recreation. Thus, he skilled a break and located himself 6-1, 2-0 down very quickly, having no clue the way to assemble the factors towards the opponent who was on each ball.
Roger lastly discovered one thing on the return in recreation three, breaking again following Rafa’s poor forehands. The Swiss saved a break level within the fourth recreation and held for 2-2, already doing higher than within the opener. Federer earned a break level in recreation seven that might have pushed him in entrance for the primary time.
Nonetheless, he couldn’t catch Nadal’s drop shot, and the Spaniard held after a forehand error from his opponent. Rafa stepped in on the return within the subsequent one and fired a backhand down the road winner, giving him a vital break and a 5-3 lead.
The defending champion held at 15 with a service winner in recreation 9 to wrap up the set and transfer nearer to the end line. There was no method again for Roger from there! He wasted a recreation level firstly of the third set to undergo one other break when his forehand discovered the online.
Rafa positioned one other forehand winner to the open court docket in recreation two to substantiate the lead and march towards the tip. The Spaniard’s forehand was on hearth in these moments. He broke once more in recreation three to increase the lead and held at love within the subsequent one to open a 4-0 hole and put one hand on the trophy.
Nadal hit a bullet from his backhand within the fifth recreation to steal Federer’s serve and serve for the title. A maintain at 30 sealed the deal for Rafa after Roger’s forehand error, beginning an enormous celebration after turning into the primary participant with 4 consecutive Roland Garros crowns since Bjorn Borg.
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