Hamburg account

In the final of Masters, the first two rackets of the world came together in 2007, the price of the confrontations of the first two numbers higher than before - it turns out that the “product” became very rare. Until mid -May, Rozhe Federer and Rafael Nadal met only once - in the final of the Masters in Monte Carlo. The slight victory of the invincible in the earthen courts of the Spaniard could not quench the hunger for classic matches.

In Hamburg, the story should not have been repeated - the soil and in general the conditions here are more convenient for Federer. It is no accident that the Baltic Masters is the only earthen tournament in which the Swiss is traditionally successfully successful. He won the Hamburg title three times, while Nadal did not conquer the top even once.

After Federer spoke weakly at the second of the three ground Masters, in Rome, it seemed to many that there could be no talk of a serious struggle of the two leaders before switching to herbal courts. However, Nadal, as it turned out, is not impeccable. In Rome, in the semifinals, he coped with gigantic labor with Nikolai Davydenko, and in Hamburg at the same stage he walked along the blade in a duel with a sandy Llatyon Hughitt, who had never shone in sandy venues. At the same time, Federer also gained move in separate matches (for example, in the 1/8 finals with Juan Carlos Ferrero) showed the game almost perfect - without looking at the features of the coating. In the final, the main question remained open for a long time. Nadal attacked the opponent from the first minutes, instantly made two breaks and comfortably moored to win in the set. The second set was already under the dictation of the Swiss. He did not greatly change tactics, although it was noticeable that Federer plays less and less in the corners, thus depriving the Spaniard of the corner of the attack. The main surprise for Raphael was the much clearer game of the opponent. The Swiss became at the same time more active and more precisely - such a turn is available only to true champions. The account of the second batch (6: 2) aligned the situation not only in the match, but also in the reconnaissance before the main battles. Nadal ceased to be a clear favorite. And Federer simply became the champion. In the decisive set - 6: 0 in favor of the face with complete impossibility (not to say impotence) to the Nadal to withstand the crazy power and accuracy of the Swiss.

Hamburg, "Masters"

1/4 finals

R. Federer (SHVC, 1) - D. Ferrer (SPP, 11) - 6: 3, 4: 6, 6: 3

K. Moya (SPP) - N. Dzhokovic (Ser, 4) 7: 6, 4: 6, 7: 5

L. HUVITT (AL, 16) - N. Almagro (SPP) - 6: 3, 6: 4

R. Nadal (SPP, 2) F. Gonzalez (Chil, 5) - 6: 4, 6: 4

1/2 finals

Federer - Moya - 4: 6, 6: 4, 6: 2

Nadal - Hughitt - 2: 6, 6: 3, 7: 5

Final

Federer - Nadal - 2: 6, 6: 2, 6: 0

05/20/2007 / Alexander Shmornov, the material was published in the newspaper No. 89 dated 05.21.2007.