0-30 Roger DF
15-30 Rafael nets BH return on wide serve by Roger
30-30 Roger volley winner coming forward after doing 1-2 punch
40-30 Rafael BH return wide on wide serve by Roger
Roger holds as Rafael gets to volley but nets it

Rafael to serve 3-4

Deuce, if we have to force ourselves through this, you should too! :)

The wide serve on the deuce-court is working for Roger

Rafa tries to get to the ball but even he can't get to it. Roger stays out of trouble. Whew!

please, don't praise Fed's volley that much. It doesn't matter if it's textbook if you miss them.

Good recovery from 0-30.

Or not:(((

" I think I'm going to be sick if this keeps up. :)" I know I am!

This is going to chew up all finger nails and fingers. I see both leaving NO GROUND.

WHY DID I SIGN UP FOR THIS?

Phew...he held...

AO 2009 memories still loom large...

I wish this were a best of five sets match

As a Sampras fan, I love no Rhythm tennis.
It just goes to show that both players are playing good, and very efficiently.

Roger was a bit lucky on that 40-30 volley.

I will not renew my tennistv subscription. The stream stopped when Rafa was serving 40-15 and I think it went completely off the air during the Rafa v RAndy match.

Tennistv is terrible. Live streaming only for me.

That should be AO 2009 nightmares..not memories..

allright..let's see if Roger can actually put a return in...while being aggressive at the same time

Rafa returns the favor by DFing. C'MON TIM!

Now Rafa with a double:(( Pls hold here!

Oh, this is where you kids were. Well, this is kinda late, but here's what I posted right after the last game:

Rafa didn't even make the effort to get to that last shot for a FH pass. Yes, that was a tough get, but one he's fully capable of making. Tells me he's not 100% physically.

But his BH is clicking just in time. Fed's, 2.

OMG - pls no bp here Rafa!!!!

McEnroe says something about beating Rafa by making him DF. Uhmm... maybe that can be Plan B?

30-30 for Rafa now!

First serve, where hast thou gone?

Yuck, good second serve and good rally. Not gonna yell at Roger for that miss, but still.

Deuce! At last!

Hey, NP.

How 'bout those Heat, eh? :)

Sorry, back to tennis. Dang it, Rafa. Missed the fh putaway. Back to deuce.

Hannah, just wanted to again comment on how incredible your postings have been this week, by far the best this website has ever seen. You have a rare talent for capturing both the character of the players and the pervading dynamics of each match. Your Roddick/Djokovic column was a joy to read and this one was even better.

Definitely agree with this statement: As commenters wiser and wittier than me have pointed out, when you tend to be rooting for Nadal’s opponents, it’s difficult not to view him as a larger-than-life automaton possessed of a preternatural ability to slough off multiple death blows and come back stronger, like the killer in a slasher movie.

Has happened now with Murray, Djokovic, Soderling, and of course, Federer. Makes Melzer's victory over him in Shanghai, and Roddick's in Miami, even more impressive.

I do have to say though, the dynamics of the Fed/Nadal matchups, rare as they are these days, are decidedly dull. Rafa only knows the one way to win - loop Fed's BH over and over and over and over again. While I like the rivalry I have to say it's not the most interesting pattern to watch. Luckily Rog's BH is rock solid today. First BP to Rog.

breakpoint...now we'll see 17 of them eventually..and Fed won't take any of them...

Rafa again doesn't really try to go for the ball. But well played by Fed, and he gets BP! BREAK FED, BREAK! I believe in you! :D

What is this, some kind of "hand ball reunion"? Maradona AND Henry?!

40-40 Rafael FH wide as Rafael serves at 3-4
40-A Roger FH winner
Roger breaks as he hit BH winner

Roger to serve for set 5-3

:(((((((((( NOoooooooo!!!!!!!!

Rafa went back to the old, time honored strategy and it didn't work! Because of the BH winner!

It ain't a break till you consolidate...

Rafa decides to really try to hammer the backhand-- Fed is ready for it, and breaks! YESSSS!

Genius! The only one!

Well, that was not a good finish to that game, Rafa.

What happened the old man's backhand?

Roger...HOLD...it ain;t a break until you hold...

Holy crap - has Fed's backhand EVER been this lethal in a single match? Does he have more BH winners than FH winners? That winner on BP was one of the shots of the year surely. And I'm not even a fanboy.

Roger pumped up, and serving unreturnables left and right. Unreturnable by Nadal, who I think we all agreed sometime last week was the GOAT?

Piffle. Rog gave Rafa two looks at the pass and got away with it.

Roger...HOLD...please

And that Lord-forsaken High BH is the one that nailed it. Nailed. It.
That devil is on its way out.

Good heavens!
First set in the pocket.
Just LIKE THAT

15-0 Roger service winner wide
30-0 Rafael return wide
40-0 Rafael CC BH passing shot wide as Roger come forward and hit volley
Roger takes the set 6-3 as he hit FH winner

The mighty Fed, ladies and gentlemen.

He holds and takes the 1st set, now if he could find a way not to do a 2nd set walkabout.

The #1 is getting beaten to a pulp and i love it!!

what a beatdown. 3-6. 1st set was a stinker. I want some competition! After all, I worked hard for this Fedal final!

Just can't believe Fed broke on his first bp:(((((( Things really, really not looking good for Rafa!!!

The Might Fed.

Standing Ovation.

YES ! YES ! YEESSS !!! OMG ROGER !

Roger's BH looking very good, but very flat mediocre effort from Rafa today. The lack of energy is making this match not so engaging so far.

"Just can't believe Fed broke on his first bp:(((((( "

ME EITHER!!!

Lock, it's karma.

Fed makes Rafa pay for his tentative FHs and duly breaks. Rafa's unusually tentative. Even his PS's are lame.

And Fed consolidates and takes the 1st set. I don't see Rafa turning this around. Dude's off today.

But, then again, he does have a habit of proving us naysayers wrong. We'll see.

wow, Fed won 100% of the points on which he got his first serve in.

The #1 is not getting beaten to a pulp..its 3-6...and Roddick had won the first 6-3 too...only for Rafa to come back and win.

So, Roger has to watch out now...

Rafa looks happy, unconcerned and quite disinterested...never seen him let so many balls go by...what is going on??? And with all respect to Roger, that was a very indifferent set of tennis from both players...sub par...

Not surprised that Roger is winning because Rafa's normal strategy of working over Roger's b/h is not working on the carpet surface. Rafa has to try to change it up. VAMOS anyway!

We are no where close yet people. Just hang tight. Lots of work still to do.

Rog played a perfect set of tennis.
65% 1st serves, 100% 1st serve conversion
W:UFE 14-9 Fed, 2-4 Nadal
6/7 net points for Fed, 1/1 BP converted
0/0 on both counts for Rafa.

So far Nadal isn't looking tired by any means, but his time honoured strategy of picking on Fed's BH backfired.

Federer takes the first set!!

Pls at least hold here, Rafa!!!!

"The #1 is getting beaten to a pulp"

Oh, brother. :)

"Roger's BH looking very good, but very flat mediocre effort from Rafa today. The lack of energy is making this match not so engaging so far."

LOL. Tmf does that to a match

I'm with NP, I don't see Rafa making a match of this final. He's not moving very well and, more importantly, he doesn't look like he's wanting it. Weird.

Now the only way Rafa can win this 2nd set would be pulling out a trainer card. C'mon. I don't want a bloody beat down!

Hi NP

Outstanding first set from Fed!

"Piffle. Rog gave Rafa two looks at the pass and got away with it."

Lock, you need to hand your boy another gear or two. Otherwise Fed's got this in the bag.

Rafa's the "great adjuster", so this match isn't over by any means. Nevertheless, it's better to have won a set than to have lost it.

Rafa is thinking now looking constipated. This kid is not going to give it to him. Not for all the tea in china

Rafa's getting angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry.

(No he doesn't actually look angry, but getting more focused for sure.)

Liking this aggressive Rafa. Good love hold

Oh Boy. Now the Nadalites' are in the excuse-making stage of the match. ;)

temes: don't agree. While Roger is striking the BH well, Rafa had many chances but played very passively.

Fed will find a way to choke a little. He did against Djoker, too.

Sup, Fangorina. How's life treatin' ya?

AB,

Rafa has himself to blame for lack of energy..he's the #1 player, if he can't put effort for the matchup that most of tennis and media has been waiting for for such a long time..its his fault.

PMac said its nonsense that a three set match would tire the #1 player out so much..and I agree with him..

Its upto him whether he wants to make it a match or not...he wants to be tired and show that he is tired playing a guy who is 5 yrs older than him..its his choice.

Kevin Spacey? Wth? Some people have all the luck.

More comfortable hold to love. No one really wants to argue at the beginning of the set, apparently.

Been missing my tennis, NP. Tuning in for the last gasp Fedal. :)

Fed serves about 6 light-years wide. It was all a trick! Rafa then whiffs the return on the second serve.

Has anyone seen Maradona?

Got stuck in traffic!!!
But managed to see fantastic Fed take the first set :)

Not over yet but Roger is looking very confident and Rafa not so much.
Not surprising to me on this surface.

This Rafa kid is playing pretty lousy. What did you slip in Rafa's drink, old man? This Fedal final needs to get way way better!

Hi lj: well, yah, it's "his fault." Don't know what point you're needing to make.

I'm just making an observation.

Maradona flanked by two women. They look like they're both taller than him.

Rafa: please adjust for the wide serve

Gah - please hold again Rafa!!! Please????

Geez ... this is from a Fed KAD, PLEASE don't put the horns on Fed by razzing Rafa .. especially this early in the match. There is no one more dangerous when he's down a set than Rafa, IMHO. Keep it up, Poppa Fed ... and don't come down! LOL

Maybe he tossed his tickets when the Serbian celeb was crushed.

Start vamosing or something, Rafa!!!!

"Liking this aggressive Rafa."

Fangorina, Rafa has to be aggressive. Did you see how slow he was at the net on the 1st pt of the last game? For some reason he has lost a step or two.

Fed nearly returns a rather blah smash, but it goes into the net. It does seem like Nadal isn't able to chase down the shots like his trademark, huh? I bet it's the knees.

Nadal chases down a moonball, looks like he's briefly considering the tweener, then decides against it. Should've tried it Rafa! Maybe Fed would then show us how to DEAL with tweeners too!

"Start vamosing or something, Rafa!!!!" plus 1,000

Lol, most women are taller than Maradona. But few has his moves.

Ladyjulia,
Hehe, you've been after the number 1 lately :)
I thought you were a fan of both.

Xisca quite vocal there for a while until she realized the camera was on her.

Fangorina, are you not gonna watch the DC finals?

Fed painting the lines beautifully! Nadal too, though that last hit did not.

I would like to see more effort from Rafa. I'm not into this match yet.

Though agree that Roger is doing enough to keep Rafa at bay.

I've seen Rafa play better, even this week; but equally I think Roger's been absolutely brilliant - great serving, streams of winners, BH working - lovely winner for the break, attacking relentlessly, great defence.

Rafa looks like he wants to win enough to me. If he gets outplayed he gets outplayed - I don't think it's about him not putting in the effort.

NP: Rafa does still look tight, and not gunning and running as he should. The match-up on this surface requires hyper-aggression from Rafa, yet he *feels* flat and tight.

C'mon Fed. Pity Rafa and give him one of your service game. It appears that you can break Rafa at will, so why not make it more interesting? Like Dare-devil Muzz yesterday on 3rd set?

WTF: Rafa is soooo subdued!!! Pls win this pt!!!! Deuce would not be a good new!!! And not so much as a Vamos for that hold:(((

Fed saves the return but decides to offer a cowpie for some reason. By which I mean that the cow jumped over the moon, and this ball jumped over a moonpie.