ugh

Damn:(((

Nadal flounces the first serve way out. AND FED BREAKS 2/2?!?!?! TMF!

40-40 Rafael BH long
40-A Rafael FH wide - Rafael challenges but to no avail
Roger 1/1 BP(Rafael 1/2)
Roger breaks as he came forward behind FH and Rafael FH passing shot sails wide

Roger to serve 6-3,3-6,3-1

Go Roger!!! Now HOLD.

Boy, that was an awful few points, Rafa.

It isn't a break until you consolidate...

Roger..please hold.

oy. The match is over. 1-3. Tired Rafa won't come back.

And that's the break for Fed.
He should cruise from here on the way he's been serving.

oooo a bit of a brain fart by Rafa....Roger has got to be loving this

Come on Roger...HOLD...

And Fed slams a winner right after the break. If all your second set decreases are followed by play like this ... I'll be happy.

Roger..do not let the chance slip.

Wow! Fed has won 28/30 points on first serve? Now 29/31 I guess.

Aces...Roger...come on HOLD...

but Fed NEEDS to hold here...

Fed BH's right to the bottom of the net like a cod or something.

*beyond gutted that he was broken from 40-15 up*

Fed taking breakpoints..attaboy!

I think Rafa breaks here...

the BH is error strewn now...

Fed, come on, be Isner for a second.

wHAT? 90% first serve won for Roger? It's up to him to donate now or it's all over.

This is banal tennis...never thought I'd say that about Rafa-Roger...

Hehe to the Roger haters, the "old man" is showing the "young gun how it's done. You go Roger. Old my assets!! Kom sa, Caro, Kom igen, Robin!!

Well, Roger is nothing if not generous, Rebecca. Deuce for no good reason at all.

all my fingernails are gone

Is anyone paying attention to the wikileak thing?

Suppose not.

Ugh- over the past couple of years Rafa has this annoying tendency of getting in trouble in his service games - and being broken- after initially having a comfortable point count.

Ugh.

And Fed breaks.

Rafa will need help from Fed to break back. His RoS has been subpar for most of this match.

Fed obliges. Deuce.

What is Fed trying to do? Is he dumb?

I would be glad if it was Isner right now trying to hold...

WOW the net has decided to like Fed today.

:((((

Wow, what an ace to hold!

GAG

40-40 Roger FH long
Roger will have to win this match as Rafael will not give in as Rafael plays more % tennis when down
A-40 Rafael nets BH return barely as ball stayed on his side
Roger consolidates as he aces wide

Rafael to serve 3-6,6-3,1-4

Rafa will be lucky to win another game in this set... 1-4. game over.

World politics can wait, thebigapple! Police state or not, Roger is playing Rafa!

Rafa's ROS very mediocre today.

Roger's ROS pretty good.

Rafa is just waiting for it go 5-1...then the beast in him is unleashed for the battle and he takes the set 7-5.

It might happen again today. Very likely.

Fed consolidates.
Nadal can't do much with Fed's first serves, still he is the only player to take a set off Fed in this tourney (I know small consolation for Rafa fans but there is always next year)

I don't see anyway that you're gonna break now, Rafa, but pls try to hold!!

AND ROGER IS WINNING, MIGHT I ADD.

Get him Roger, I'm so tired of some of the Rafa fans with their superior put downs and people like P-mac saying he's pass his peak. You show them Roger.

That is true, blue moon. So true. I have no idea on what is important.

Go Fed. Break again

Key to the match...Rafa's inability to return Roger's slider out wide on the deuce court side...and his dour refusal to hit more to roger's forehand...

*Its just that i thought this means a lot to both player*

ladyjulia- as I mentioned- Rafa did not know who he was going to play at that time he was interviewed and was asked mostly about Murray. Roger did know who he was going to play.

But oh well- I think this match means a lot to BOTH players- not just Roger. (Roger who will win).

Ladyjulia, if Rafa's willing to take the risk... so will I :)

0-15:(( Pls, pls Rafa!!

I think this is going to finish soon. Rafa hasn't been able to find much rhythm in this set.

Blue moon,

Nobody is winning really until the last point is played. Watch when it becomes 1-5.

Fed's fantastic level in the first set has returned.

*Feels* over. But remembers Federer can blow some match points, one hopes.

Fed will have to have a major breakdown to lose this match from here. Just look at the #s. Rafa's RoS has been virtually nonexistent on Fed's 1st serves.

And Rafa's serve is back to his pre-'08 level. That's not helping his chances, either.

McEnroe is talking about the contact point. A little lower, a little slower. Fed gives away a point to Nadal. All is normal.

punches gallore. no rallies and no time for rafa.
I likey

BREAK POINTS! Fed... dare I ask for 3/3?

Far behind the baseline Rafa is back. sigh

Geez, Rafa's become an error-machine these last few games. Wth??

0-30 Roger CC BH return winner
15-30 Rafael service winner as he served to body
15-40 Rafael nets BH
Roger 2/2 BP(Rafael 1/2)
Virtual match points for Roger
Roger breaks as Rafael nets BH

Roger serving for title 6-3,3-6,5-1

look at my comment at 2:17pm. What did I say? That's right. 1-5.

OMG who is this person in red 100% BPs!!!!!

Roger to serve for the Championship.

oh Rafa:(((
Even the eyebrows are passive today

geez Rafa...wheres that steely determination....what a sloppy game

2 BPs for Fed. And Rafa nets a slice on the very 1st BP. Like I said, dude was off from the start.

Fed going for a breadstick.

jeez louise

AHHHHHH! 3/3 BREAK POINTS?! WHO IS THIS GUY IN RED? HE CAN PLAY!

CArrie,

True..i didn't read the question...so i don't know the context. So, it might be like you said. Dunno...will see when i read the whole presser.

Rafa's errors are coming off the superior play of Roger, take it to him, show them you still got it. Kom sa, Caro, Kom igen, Robin, Scandinavia's double play.

Nadal tries to take it out on Mirka in the audience, swinging it out. Roger can't go wrong with his first serve at this moment.

rafa is not even trying

Roger, if you blow these match points... it would truly be a fitting end to 2010. :D

I'm loving this!! Where is Tim???

Never count the world #1 out.

What a bizarre ending.

Just unreal - Fed's BH is the star of this match, incredible. Rafa's stubbornness with the game plan looking pretty bad in hindsight now.

But Fed's execution today just brilliant. This is the kind of tennis Annacone was paid to bring in, and it's the kind that's going to be needed if he's to win more Slams.

Whew, almost caught that pass - so NOT Andy Roddick at the net.

15-0 Roger Ace at T
30-0 Rafael BH return wide as Roger served at T
40-0 Roger volley winner as he comes forward on return
40-15 Roger nets volley as Rafael hit CC BH passing shot
Roger wins the match as he hit FH winner

Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal 6-3,3-6,6-1

Roger Federer cleaned Rafael Nadal's clock out.

Thank you your honor.

Great win for Fed!
Rafa not at his best today but reaching the final for the first time is not too shabby, no?

I hope this victory inspires Fed in 2011!

Go Roger!!!!!!!!!

lmao hilarious final point, Nadal packs it in and doesn't challenge.

3/3 for BPs a lot different than 1/13 at Wimby no?

And a forehand right to the very corner wins it. GO ROGER! Wooo! I would say commiserations to Nadal fans, but, something like three slam trophies tells me you don't REALLY need it.

Ladyjulia, geez. We get it. Rafa's a bad person. :)

Pass the buck, he's not ready to. The greats go out on their own terms, not the critics! Do it Roger!!

I thought it was brilliant, brilliant tennis from Federer in the first and last sets. Nadal wasn't at his best but Federer played all the big moments at his top level.

That last set was absolute beatdown. Geez. So this YEC is Rafa's Miami, Cinci, Paris indoor, I suppose. Never to win it. Unless they play it at indoor clay, I don't see it happening. Certainly nowhere close to 5 times of Sampras, Fed, Lendl.

THE MIGHT FED.

Commies to Rafa. But congrats to an outstanding season!!!

Roger! Wow! I'm sooo happy!!!!!

yes! so happy!

commiserations Rafa fans.

Ladyjulia-

Here is the context- which was asked before he knew who he would play.

*. How do you feel physically and how do you think you'll be for tomorrow's match?
RAFAEL NADAL: I repeat what I say always. I don't know what going to happen tomorrow, how I going to feel. You can imagine, right now I am very tired. That's the true. *

I can't join you on he is a bad sport for his comment there. I would recommend reading the whole presser. As a Roger fan- you must understand how it can feel when quotes are taken out of context to paint someone as being a bad sport- which is why I had to react when you said that Rafa was a ho0rrible sport for not saying comments when he never had a chance to say the comments you were looking for.

Congrats on your guy for the win today.

The better player today won.

Actually, the better player won.

Without the high bouncing shot Nadal would rarely take Fed...but alas. It exists.

That last ball looked out to me. ;)

And Fed takes it. Congrats.

GTG. Much as I'd like to watch the Fed KADs spin the H2H like crazy based on this one match, I actually got stuff to do.

Later.

Winners to UFEs
32-22 Fed
11-19 Rafa - terrible match from him and yet it still wasn't a blowout. He's a hard guy to beat.

That was a really disappointing ending, but not a surprising one. Roger played great and Rafa played without energy for the most part.

Well, congrats to Roger fans. He played very well all week.

Strange third set. I was hoping for some memorable drama, but not to be.

Good luck to any Rafa fans sticking around. I'll leave the bloodbath to you. :)

Weird ending. That ball looked out.

Congrats to Roger. A good win for him, capping a great tournament to close out the year.

Lo siento, Rafa, you had your chances today, but your poor ROS narrowed your window. All in all, a good tournament for you with the most riveting matches coming out of your Group.

No spinning, NP-- just 3-0 indoors. And 6-4 off clay.

Anyway, Nadal fans love spin, right?!

Great match. Congratulations to Federer and fans, he was clearly the better player today.

Commiserations to Rafa and fellow fans. Can't seem to feel too down about this loss. Three majors and the world number one ranking is a pretty good cushion.

Next year will be interesting ; )

THE MIGHTY FED.

Fed didn't eek this win folks. He bludgeoned and pulverized. But for that surge of Rafa (amazing one) in the beginning of the 2nd, the last 9 games or so, Fed was unbelievable.

YOU CAN TEACH NEW TRICKS TO OLD PONIES!

(faith restored)

Congrats to Roger's fans and commies to the Rafaelites.

Okay match..... excellent one if you're a Roger fan, he played well.

See y'all for DC.