FINALLY, Rafael Nadal has been confirmed as the new world No 1 in men’s tennis, knocking Roger Federer off top spot for the first time in 237 weeks.

Champion: Rafa Nadal has added Olympic success to Grand Slam glory
Champion: Rafa Nadal has added Olympic success to Grand Slam glory Photo: EPA

The 22-year-old Spaniard, who had been No 2 behind Federer for 160 of those weeks, has had an incredible season.

He became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon titles in the same year, winning at the All England Club for the first time in a classic five-set clash with Federer.

He underlined his current dominance of the game with Olympic gold in Beijing on Sunday and will now turn his sights on the US Open, which begins a week today.

“Nowhere in my best dreams I can imagine something like what I did this year,” Nadal said after his Olympic victory.

“I am playing an unbelievable season, no doubt. I have to be very happy for everything.

“The feeling for sure is very happy for being number one, but the feeling doesn’t change too much because the last years I did very well too.

“It is a satisfaction… I want to enjoy these two days probably, but later I have to be focused on New York.”

The Majorcan has won eight ATP titles this season and has a 70-8 record.

 

Nadal has chalked his name on Clay Court history by winning French Open title. He has  outplayed Federer  on Sunday, beating him 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 to win a fourth consecutive title at Roland Garros.

During the trophy ceremony following the most lopsided men’s final at the French Open since 1977, and at any Grand Slam since 1984, Nadal felt compelled to say: “Roger, I’m sorry.”

 “He dominated from the first point until the end,” said Federer, who hadn’t lost a 6-0 set since 1999, and hadn’t won fewer than five games in a match since 2002. “It’s the strongest Rafa that I’ve ever seen. He was more dominant than the previous years.”

Sunday’s victory also makes Nadal:

— 28-0 for his career at the French Open;

— 115-2 on clay since April 2005;

— 22-1 in clay-court finals.

 “I am humble,” Nadal said, “but the numbers are the numbers.”

His match statistics against Federer were stunning, the sort that make you want to go back and reread them.

Nadal held break points in 10 of Federer’s 11 service games, converting eight times. He won the point 24 of the 42 times Federer went to the net. He won 16 of the 24 points that lasted 10 or more strokes, according to an unofficial tally compiled by The Associated Press.

Most tellingly, Federer finished with 35 unforced errors, Nadal with seven. Yes, seven.

WITH ONLY SEVEN UNFORCED ERRORS….  NO DOUBT THAT RAFAEL NADAL IS TRULLY ‘CLAY COURT’ KING…

Source: Yahoo News

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