Nadal wins French Open 2011 for the 6th times



Nadal with his 6th French Open Trophy

 How dominant is Rafael Nadal on the clay courts of the French Open? In winning his record-tying sixth championship at Roland Garros, Nadal was challenged more than he had been in any of his previous finals at the event, yet still defeated all-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in four sets, 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1, the final one capping a commanding performance by the world No. 1.

The win ties Nadal with Bjorn Borg for the most ever wins at the French Open and gives him 10 overall, just six behind Federer. Having just turned 25 years old, Nadal could make a run at Federer's record 16. Of course, that total of 16 could go higher in the coming years. Federer showed in Paris that he's not done yet, even as he approaches his 30th birthday.

Nadal was beatable on Sunday, which isn't something you could have said about a vast majority of his 46 previous matches on the red clay of Paris. His defense was as brilliant as ever but his groundstrokes were inconsistent and he played tentatively at times, hitting the ball short and allowing Federer to work the angles for winners.


Runner Up Federer



For the first 40 minutes, Federer was up to the task. He burst to a 5-2 lead before Nadal got settled and rattled off seven straight games. For the first few games, Federer played flawless tennis. Then the drop shots started his the bottom of the tape instead of the top. The backhands that were hitting the line started pushing a few inches past. When he lost the opening set, most expected Nadal to run away with the rest of the match.

He almost did, winning the second and going up a break in the third. Federer stormed back with two breaks to force a fourth set. When Nadal faced a 0-40 deficit in the opening game of that set, visions of the classic 2008 Wimbledon final, when Federer came back from two sets down to play a fifth set, were dancing in the heads of tennis fans. Nadal put an end to that quickly. He won five straight points en route to a 6-1 victory in the final set.

With his sixth title, Rafael Nadal's name is side by side with the great Borg, who also won his sixth French Open title immediately after his 25th birthday. Later that year, the Swede abruptly left the sport later. He never won another Slam.

Rafael Nadal has no plans to go out like that. Wimbledon starts in 15 days. Guess who's the favorite?

My Comment : Nadal was brilliant, he takes every shot that Federer gave him. Truly awesome.

Grand Slam Wimbledon Prize will be $1.8 million for singles winner

WIMBLEDON, England - The singles champions at Wimbledon this year will each receive $1.8 million.

The All England Club chief executive Ian Ritchie announced Tuesday the total prize fund for the 125th championships will increase to $23.8 million.

“Leading international sports events, such as Wimbledon, are all about the quality of the players on show,” All England Club chairman Philip Brook said. “It is important that we offer prize money which suitably rewards the players both for the box office appeal they bring to the event and for their supreme performances on court.”

Last year, prize money for the singles champions was $1.54 million.

Ritchie said tournament organizers had not heard from Serena Williams on whether she intends to defend her singles title. Williams hasn’t played competitively since winning the tournament last year because of complications following two foot surgeries.

Ritchie said the All England Club has been asking the British government to relax tax rules to make the tournament more attractive to competitors.

Athletes visiting Britain for team sports such as soccer are not taxed on earnings and endorsements for their time in the country, but individuals are.

Ritchie said the All England Club had also spoken with Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone, who is also making a presentation to the government for the change.

“If Lionel Messi comes here for a Champions League final, he does not get taxed, but Roger Federer does,” Ritchie said. “We don’t believe it is an impediment to Wimbledon in terms of people coming here. But it is on their radar screen, let’s put it that way.

“It’s the same with golf. There are certain international golfers who don’t come and play here, as I understand it, for that reason.”

The 2011 tournament will also feature a new 2,000-seat No. 3 court featuring the same Hawk-Eye technology used on the other show courts.

With a new No. 4 court also open for the first time, the total number of courts will be back up to the traditional 19 following several years of redevelopment.

Ground capacity will increase this year from 37,500 spectators to 38,500.

The All England Club will host the tennis competition at the 2012 London Olympics, but Ritchie said spectators expecting the tradition and pomp of the Wimbledon tournament may be disappointed.

“It will look and feel different to the championships,” Ritchie said. “And that is entirely right and proper.”


My Comment : "Instant millionair"

The King of Clay Court (Nadal) wins The Monte Carlo Masters for the 7th time



Nadal and Ferrer (image by AP)



MONACO, April 17 - Rafael Nadal continued his extraordinary love affair with the Monte Carlo Masters by sealing his seventh straight title on the Monaco clay after a 6-4 7-5 win over fellow Spaniard David Ferrer on Sunday.

The top seed, whose victory here last year made him the first man in the professional era to triumph in the same tournament six times in a row, showed few signs of letting his grip on the trophy loosen despite a generally scrappy display.

“King of Clay” Nadal first broke in the third game when his compatriot netted but Ferrer struck back immediately with his own break of serve thanks to an exquisite drop shot in the final of the first claycourt event of the European season.

However, Ferrer’s joy was short-lived with Nadal breaking next game and winning the first set before seizing the initiative in the second with a superb passing shot only to be broken in the eighth game and then hitting back for 6-5.

He leapt into the air with delight when Ferrer hit the net to seal his victory in one of the world’s most glamorous spots.

“It’s perhaps the best tournament in the world,” Nadal beamed after picking up a trophy he virtually owns.

“I congratulate David on his good start to the year and wish him well. For me today is very special, to win here seven times is much more than a dream. I could never have imagined it.”

My Comment : "Hail to King of Clay Court Rafael Nadal"

Nadal bet Murray to meet Ferrer in Final

Nadal celebrate victory over Murray

Clay king Rafael Nadal shook off a dogged Andy Murray 6-4 2-6 6-1 to set up a Monte Carlo Masters final against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.

World number one Nadal, who lost to Ferrer in the Australian Open quarter-finals, broke for 3-1 in the first set when shaggy-haired Murray sent a booming shot long but the Briton hit back in the seventh game only to lose the set's final act.

Murray uncertain

Determined third seed Murray refused to lie down and a superb crosscourt backhand gave him the fourth game of the second set after nearly 20 minutes of slugging before breaks of serve were exchanged three times and the Scot took the set.

Nadal though raced to a 4-0 lead in the third as Murray tired and needed treatment on an arm injury before succumbing.

What happen to federer ? (lost in quaterfinal Monte Carlo)

Federer lost in QF Monte Carlo

Roger Federer refused to panic or blame the blustery conditions after Friday's defeat by Juergen Melzer in the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals threatened to blow his career further off course.

The Swiss is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time thanks to a male record of 16 grand slam titles but the winds of change are gusting through men's tennis.

His 6-4 6-4 loss to the Austrian was his first by anyone other than world number one Rafael Nadal or world number two Novak Djokovic since his Paris Masters defeat by Gael Monfils in November, but since then he has only won two tournaments.

The world number three was slightly unlucky against Melzer, who turned almost everything he hit into gold, but Federer also uncharacteristically missed several easy shots.

"Things didn't go my way. All those things accumulated to make it hard," Federer told a slightly tetchy news conference.

"(The wind) always has an effect on both players but being down in the score it didn't help. It was hard."

The second seed, who has never won the Monaco tournament on his least favoured clay surface, had looked imperious in his previous two matches but never got going against the seventh seed on the breezy shores of the Mediterranean.

Melzer broke for 3-2 in the first set when Federer netted the first of a number of forehands and the Austrian then immediately saved a break point on his own serve before taking the set and similarly sealing the second.

The Austrian, keen to reject comparisons with compatriot and former claycourt specialist Thomas Muster, was overjoyed but cautioned against writing off 29-year-old Federer just yet.

"You always have to respect Roger," left-handed Melzer said having shrugged off a back problem in the first game to win.

"For him to be three in the world is a downgrade and if you think about that it's stupid. For me he's the greatest player ever. Every time he loses it's tragic."

Melzer has now beaten Federer, Nadal and Djokovic but acknowledged he would boast about beating the Swiss more than the Spaniard when regaling tales to his children.

"It started to be difficult conditions because the wind picked up. I played a really good match with no mistakes," the world number nine added.

"I'm climbing to the top of my game on clay and it's not Roger's favourite surface."

My Comment : Don't give up yet Federer.