⇒ French Open 2011 update 6: Men's Final

Another Rafa-Federer classic. Red vs. Blue. Graceful skill vs. ferocious will.

Federer started the first set fast. Alot of points from serve-volley tactics and net rushes. On clay? It's working. He blitzed Rafa to get to 5-2, Ad-40, serving for the set.

Rafa claws his way back into the match with incredible defensive play and takes the first set 7-5. Mind-blown.

He also takes the first 2 games of the second, running up 7-games in a row.
Stupid rain delay at 5-4, 40-40 on Rafa's serve. Lasted about 5 minutes (just long enough for me to change viewing locations). The reprieve gave Federer a way back into the match, getting to a tiebreak, which Rafa takes 7-3.

Rafa's playing well under pressure, and his forehand is finding its range but alot of points are coming from Federer's errors. Nerves? Rafa on the brain?

Federer comes back to life in the 3rd set despite being down 2-4, taking it 7-5, courtesy of renewed confidence (wha?) and Rafa errors (double wha?). Wtf, Rafa?

First 3 sets took 3hrs.

Awesome play from Rafa in the 4th, going up two breaks to get to 5-1, serving for the Championship!

Awwwwwww snap! Rafa beasts Federer 6-1 in 36' in the 4th when at triple Championship point, Federer's forehand goes long.

7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-1



This match was Federer's closest against Nadal in all their Roland Garros matches, but still not enough. Pre-match I really thought Federer seemed like a bigger threat to Rafa on clay than ever, while Rafa seemed to be his most vulnerable ever.

A classic match, probably their best against each other on clay.

Rafa beat #3 Federer, #4 Murray & #5 Soderling en route to the title. He's the only player to get 6 titles in 7 years.

Rafa's now got 10 slams, ties Borg for all-time French Opens (6), also ties Borg for manner of wins (4 consecutive and 2 back to back), and keeps his #1 ranking!

Federer's trophy speech was impressive (en Francais) and very gracious.

Rafa's won 6 titles from 7 Roland Garros appearances. Incredible. You gotta wonder about his 2009 mid-season. And Federer's 2008 mono. Changed the tennis world completely.

sidenote 1: playing the first round against Isner might've actually helped Rafa--I'm not implicating Isner plays like Federer, but I'm saying playing against big servers before facing Federer couldn't have hurt.

sidenote 2: French crowd there are super douchey...booing these guys, wtf? If you don't want a reputation as assholes, don't be assholes.

sidenote 3: funny thing happened last year: 2 big 'ifs' happened:
If Federer lost before the semis
If Rafa won the title
then Rafa gets back to #1

Similar this year:
If Djokovic loses before the final
If Rafa defends his title
then Rafa keeps #1 ranking.

sidenote 4: Wonder how a Nadal-Djokovic final would've shaken out...guess that's a goal for Rafa, break his duck against Nole.

On to the grass season!

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