When in Rome: Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal 2006 Rome Masters Final

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at Internationaled.org

Published: April 26, 2010

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All roads lead to Rome. So the saying goes. But none of them are easy or even navigable in the final analysis.

The prize at the end of the journey in 2006 for Roger Federer was a trophy to make him a winner at the Rome Masters for the first time in his career and, in the process, allow him to have an edge as he entered the draw at the 2006 French Open.

All the Swiss had to do to secure the victory was circumvent a 19-year-old world No. 2 Rafael Nadal who, according to the media, sported a new crown—King of the Clay-Courters.

In 2005, Nadal had upset Federer in the semifinals of the French Open, going on to secure his first French Open Championship—his first Grand Slam, as a matter of fact.

Just prior to Rome in 2006, Federer had been bulldozed by Nadal in the finals of Monte Carlo, playing what most would deem a subpar match for the mighty Swiss warrior. So far in 2006, Federer had lost two matches, both to Nadal. The world No. 2 had also bested Federer in the finals at Dubai.

In 2006, Federer was determined to win one of the Masters Shields that had eluded him so far in his stellar career. The man on the other side of the net was Nadal, and the Swiss Maestro knew it would be an all-out war this time.

Federer was not going to let the teenage wunderkind run over him again in another clay-court final, as Nadal had in Monte Carlo. Both men were psyched for the match, although only the teenager from Majorca bounced about like fictitious Tigger during the coin toss.

The resulting match played that afternoon in Rome in 2006 remains a classic—perhaps one of the best, most tightly contested matches ever played on the red dirt...or any surface. It lasted just over five hours, and the shot-making was brilliant at times as the players fought for supremacy.

Like the tides, Nadal and Federer ebbed and flowed during the match, each finding picture-perfect form fo...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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