Incredible Nadal!

For the third consecutive year in Paris, the top-ranked Federer sought to become the sixth man to win all four Grand Slam events. Nadal defeated him in the semi-finals in 2005, and in the final last year.

The latest loss also spoiled Federer8217;s bid to win a fourth consecutive major title, something last done by Rod Laver in 1969. With a sequence of brilliant shots, Federer won many of the highlight-reel rallies, but squandered chances doomed him. He failed to convert his first 11 break-point chances, putting pressure on his own serve by repeatedly allowing Nadal to hold.

While losing serve only once, Nadal broke four times in 10 chances. He had 28 unforced errors to 60 for Federer. Rooting for history, the crowd was pro-Federer and occasionally chanted 8220;Ro-ger! Ro-ger!8221; But when Federer8217;s final shot landed long, fans roared for Nadal as he collapsed on his back to the clay in jubilation.

For Federer, the story was all too familiar: since the beginning of 2005, he8217;s 4-7 against Nadal and 199-7 against everyone else. He fell to 1-6 lifetime against Nadal on clay.

The second-ranked Nadal made a little history of his own, becoming the second man since 1914 to win the tournament three consecutive times, and the first since Bjorn Borg in 1978-81. Still only 21, Nadal improved to 21-0 at Roland Garros and 34-0 in best-of-five-set matches on clay.

On the warmest day of the tournament, spectators in the sun were fanning themselves from the outset, and both players began to look weary in the pivotal third set. But the dogged Nadal kept chasing down shots all over the court, sprinting after one drop shot and flicking a winner nearly three hours into

the match.

Nadal relentlessly probed his opponent8217;s weaker side, sometimes forcing Federer to hit half a dozen backhands in a rally. But Federer8217;s usually formidable forehand may have hurt him more 8212; the shot misfired several times on potential putaways and sailed long.

8220;I could not do what I wanted to do from the back of the court,8221; Federer said. 8220;I was always trailing. It was not easy.8221;

Federer repeatedly had chances to take command. In the first set Nadal fell behind on his serve 15-40 twice and love-40 once, but each time the Spaniard rallied

to hold.

Federer took a 3-2 lead but became dispirited when he failed to convert five break points in the next game, and Nadal won five consecutive games. Federer broke for the only time to go ahead 4-3 in the second set. Even then he needed five set-point opportunities before he closed out the set to pull even.

It was the only set Nadal lost in the tournament, and he bounced back quickly, breaking in the second game of the third set en route to a 3-0 lead. Nadal broke again for a 2-1 lead in the fourth set when Federer dumped a weary shot in the net, and the Spaniard never wavered from there. In the final two sets, Nadal faced only one break point, saving it with a big forehand.

He won 1.34 million, while Federer received 670,000 8212; small consolation for a player who has dominated the other major events, winning Wimbledon four times and the US Open and Australian Open three times each, all since 2003.

Repeat champions

8226; Frank Parker 8212; 1948-49

8226; Jaroslav Drobny 8212; 1951-52

8226; Tony Trabert 8212; 1954-55

8226; Nicola Pietrangeli 8212; 1959-60

8226; Jan Kodes 8212; 1970-71

8226;Bjorn Borg 8212; 1974-75, 1978-1981

8226; Ivan Lendl 8212; 1986-87

8226;Jim Courier 8212;1991-92

8226; Sergi Bruguera 8212; 1993-94

8226; Gustavo Kuerten 8212; 2000-01

8226;Rafael Nadal8212; 2005-07

Roger Federer

First serve : 64

Aces: 9

Double faults: 1

Unforced errors: 60

Winners: 18

Total points won: 119

Rafael Nadal

First serve : 77

Aces: 2

Double faults: 1

Unforced errors: 28

Winners: 12

Total points won: 136