Rafael Nadal begins his journey by the Cincinnati Masters Series to stalking the number 1, with a convincing victory.

His first opponent was a loose Florent Serra, French was a mere spectator of another impressive game of Spanish, who in September took two quick victory, 6-0 and 6-1.

Little history took the match, Serra had no choice, in 13 games could only win one, the Mallorcan is in his best game by game time and it shows, Federer knows it and shows his nervousness, almost lands on his first match! He knows that is a matter of days the end of his reign.

His rival Tommy Haas, who won the French Gael Monfils, will be able to win more games that Serra?

Nadal goes back two breaks ahead in the first part and the Swiss desquicia

He joined Kuerten and Rios as the only champion of the three Masters on earth

Even a 5-1, the service in his possession and two balls set in their favor enough racket to the best in the world to define its sleeve to Rafael Nadal. Roger Federer ended desquiciado once again before the king of clay. Not even in your garden Hamburg, which since 2002 had succeeded only Mark Philippoussis Bates, could withstand the determination and character of his nemesis. Reacted in the second part, but what the party had lost in the first after so traumatic squandered his immense advantage. Nadal joined his tenth victory before Federer, defended with authority and epic dose of their status as the world number two and already accumulated 11 Masters Series events, the same as Pete Sampras. 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-3.



Two battles for three hours each in just two days before the two players, respectively, and precede happen in the classification, reinforcing its aura of indomitable champion. Nadal landed in Hamburg with the encouragement of a growing Novak Djokovic in his neck after his untimely defeat in Rome. And although his two feet on living flesh, pounded by blisters, and moved with the president of the Spanish Federation of Tennis, Pedro Munoz, not helped prepare quoted German, the Balearic leaves the Rothenbaum club with the 26 th title of his career in his pocket after leaving the road in his two major rivals on the circuit.

Nadal back a 1-3 and 15-40 before Djokovic to sign the first match away from the semifinals. Extraordinary, but nothing compared to his reaction to Federer. The Swiss, a cyclone during the start of the meeting, took a 5-1 and a point in September to serve. On the other side, legs jamming by the effort of the previous day, Nadal offered all facilities: poor percentages with his service and, above all, a collection of short returns that allowed Federer attack pleasure from the average track. So far, until such time as that connected its first right parallel to the line gave the first option to break his rival. He did so, he returned to the chair and requested the assistance of physio to treat a muscle problem in his face Previous thigh of his right leg.

Zurdo when wielding the racket, Nadal load the weight on his left leg when hitting the ball. Thanks to this could overcome the inconvenience, forget-based right-wing winners and, above all, a setback crossed especially inspired with which exceeded over and over again attacks on the Swiss network. Nadal chained seven consecutive games, the last to start the second part with another break in favour. Inconceivable. He responded with fortitude and pride the number one escape when he saw a new final against Nadal, the eighth of the 12 who have disputed, the seventh on clay. Based on its service, neutralized immediately returned to their disadvantage and establish a 5-2 in their favour. But, as in the first set, squandering his credit.

Nadal, attended by a doctor during the finals
He had Federer, however, the ability to react again, even to save a 0-40 with five equals three breaking points which, if any confirmed Nadal had helped get him to sign the triumph. Then the points with his Swiss direct draw to force the tie-break and aim for 7-3.

But the mental battle once again opted Spanish side. What had made since the resolution of the first set. Federer's victory in the second only served to further reinforce the feeling that Hamburg has been the best during the week tennis so far this year. For quality and emotion without limit. Neither the followers of Federer, so anguished in the tier as his idol on the track, changed the gesture came when the decisive part. Nadal was already an almost perfect machine, unstoppable, much more accurate with his service with the deposit still far from the reservation.

The number two of the ATP, which increases by 50 points advantage over his Djokovic and declines at 150 to Federer, took advantage of the unique moment devolution of Federer in the third partial to win his third trophy of the course-with its 360,000-euro prize after the Monte Carlo and Barcelona. No longer is it important that hold no title on clay. In addition to his three triumphs in Paris, Nadal has triumphed in the three Masters Series of the year on the slow surface. Since 1990-when it established a timetable similar to that currently, only Gustavo Kuerten and Marcelo Rios had been able to win in Monte Carlo, Rome and Hamburg.

Federer, unbeaten so far in the nine contested final in Germany during his career, more than ever exposed his mental confusion increasingly being measured to Nadal in a hint of earth. A disease, apparently without cure.

Rafael Nadal became the first semifinalist of the tournament in Miami, the second Master Series of the season after defeating James Blake in three exciting sets by 3-6, 6-3 and 6-1.

Nadal, which exceeds the results of last year in Cayo Vizcaino, which fell in the quarter before Novak Djokovic, and expects rival on the threshold of the final confrontation between Czech Thomas Berdych and Russian Igor Andreev.

The Balearic also did his best showing version of the indomitable fighter, and he won the psychological pulse Blake in the third and final set. A sleeve marked by the outcome of the third set, which Nadal consummated a decisive break in its sixth ball break after lift and return a smash Blake.

The Florida had a 0-40 and saved two break balls, one after the ball touched on the tape, but did not find the way to win your service. Finally, it relented and the match ended escaping because he lost his faith.

Blake was delivered, precision and lost two other services to complete claudicando by 6-1. A final improper American, which had reached a high level throughout the match and that prevents it from fighting for the major titles.

From the beginning Blake was that player that he complicates parties to Nadal, but the Spanish he has won the last two times. An aggressive tennis to rest, not like long points and risking perhaps excessively. As the ball came to him Blake was impenetrable for Nadal, because, moreover, was right with his only ball of the first set to break apuntárselo by 6-3.

In the second match, the local tennis dropped their performance and Nadal, in contrast, started to climb steps, thanks to an aggressive, and I was looking right lines. However, it cost snatch a service to the American, but I ended up doing in the eighth game. The break allowed him to draw to tie the match and Nadal met.

And in the third, a great Nadal ended desesperando to snipe at Blake and a triumph of merit, which confirms the improvement in his game and makes it up aspiring to the title, with the permission of Federer.

The Spanish, at the end of mourning, said it had been "a great match". "Blake started very well, very aggressive, so I tried to concentrate because he is the best in the world, especially in this area. I had to give it everything to win."

"Romperle the draw at the beginning of the third set was crucial," continued Spanish. "I had many opportunities to break his serve on more occasions but sometimes it is impossible to a player like him."

"I am very happy for the victory," he said. "And also by the Spanish and Latino fans, thank you very much for that. Miami is more of the sites where they note."