ROGER FEDERER BEAT RAFAEL NADAL TO WIN THE MIAMI OPEN TENNIS 2017 TITLE

Written by: Staff on 2nd April 2017

ROGER FEDERER BEAT RAFAEL NADAL TO WIN THE MIAMI OPEN TENNIS 2017 TITLE

epa05885087 Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts after defeating Rafael Nadal of Spain in the men's singles final match at the Miami Open tennis tournament on Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida, USA, 02 April 2017. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER |

Federer remains on a roll, beats Nadal–again–for third career Miami Open title

By Ricky Dimon

Despite being 35 years old and one of the oldest players in every tournament he enters, Roger Federer is once again the dominant player on the ATP Tour.

That was certainly the case in the Miami Open final on Sunday.

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Rafael Nadal of Spain during their finals match at the Miami Open tennis tournament on Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida, USA, 02 April 2017 EPA/RHONA WISE

Federer improved to 19-1 in 2017 and won his third title by cruising past Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 34 minutes. The 18-time major champion triumphed at the Australian Open, Indian Wells Masters, and Miami Masters in a single year for just the second time in his career, having previously accomplished the feat in 2006. He defeated Nadal at each of those three tournaments; first in the Aussie Open final and then in the Indian Wells fourth round.

On the heels of a five-set Melbourne thriller, Federer had no issues of any kind getting the best of Nadal at the two recent Masters 1000 events. This latest installment of the rivalry–the 37th between the two all-time greats–was not quite as comprehensive as the 6-2, 6-3 beatdown issued by Federer in the California desert, but it was nothing short of routine at the same time. The Swiss held all 10 of his service games, saving four break points in the opening set before losing only four total points during his last five service games.

Federer and Nadal combined for seven break points in an incredible five of the match’s first seven games. Only holds by Nadal at 0-1 and Federer at 1-1 went without a break point. Neither competitor could convert any opportunity, however, on the way to a 4-3 advantage for the No. 4 seed. That is when Nadal finally buckled, and a break of serve in Federer’s favor allowed him to serve out the opener at 5-3–which he did with no problem whatsoever.

Despite going by a slightly more competitive 6-4 scoreline, the second set was more lopsided. Federer cruised through each of his service games, whereas Nadal had to fight off two break points at 3-3 before donating a decisive break of serve at 4-4. The now three-time Miami champion fell behind 0-15 while serving for the match, but he won four the next five points to clinch it.

Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Roger Federer of Switzerland during the men’s singles final match at the Miami Open tennis tournament on Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida, USA, 02 April 2017. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER

“He’s playing [well],” Nadal assured. “That’s all. He’s playing [well] and with high confidence. When a top player like him is playing with this high confidence and playing that good, then it’s tough to win.

“Today was a close match in my opinion. Was 6-3, 6-4, but I had opportunities to have the break before him in the first set. I don’t believe in luck, but I was not very lucky in the first set on a couple of points that I think I played well and I lost in the break points. Then he has the break and you are in trouble. (A) few things decided the match, and today (it) was for him. For me was a much closer result–much closer level today than what the result says, and completely different than [in Indian Wells].”

“I think it was a close match,” Federer added. “Maybe if you didn’t see the match and you were sitting somewhere around the world and you see the score you’re like, ‘Okay, sort of maybe just straightforward and couple breaks and that was it.’ That’s not the full story. I thought he had his chances in the first and in the second. It was close. I think on the big points today I was just a little bit better. Why, I have no explanation. I just think it fell that way today.

“Great atmosphere again–a lot riding on the match, of course. So it was a special match and it was great to play against Rafa again.”

Federer is still 14-23 against Nadal overall, but he now leads on hard courts 10-9. The next showdown is not expected to take place until at least the French Open, as Federer said at his press conference that he plans to skip the clay-court swing before playing the French Open.