Tennis
Nadal bests arch-rival Federer in Madrid final
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-05-17 09:22
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 Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates his victory over Roger Federer of Switzerland by spraying champagne at the end of their Madrid Open final tennis match May 16, 2010. [Agencies]
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Federer broke back immediately but lost his serve again to fall 4-3 behind and Nadal brought the boisterous crowd to their feet when he took the first set, prompting prolonged chants of "Rafa! Rafa!".
They each grabbed two more breaks of serve in the second set before an anxious buzz of anticipation descended on the arena for the start of the tiebreak.
Federer carved open a 4-2 lead with a sumptuous drop shot but netted an attempt to repeat the trick on the next point and Nadal raced into a 6-4 lead.
A thunderous Federer forehand winner saved one match point but as the Swiss tried to force the pace on the second he played a forehand airshot.
Nadal, sporting a pirate look with his yellow headband and flowing locks, raised his arms to the sky before throwing himself face down on the clay and then flinging his sweatbands into the ecstatic crowd.
"I've played more beautiful match points than this one," a smiling Federer said at a news conference.
"That's what happens, we're on clay after all. I decided to take a chance and it didn't pay off.
"He was obviously coming in to the match with loads of confidence having done so well on clay this season so it was always going to be tough."
