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Federer & Nadal Meet for Wimbledon Title
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal meet for the Wimbledon championship for the third straight year.Federer is down two sets at Wimbledon for the first time since he last lost here — the 2002 first round against Mario Ancic. Let's see what the champion has left.
A quick hold to start gives Federer a 1-0 lead. Nadal holds to level the set, then takes a spill during the third game, apparently tweaking his knee. He hops up and continues, but Federer holds again to go up 2-1.
Nadal goes down 15-40 on his serve, saves the first, then the second on a gutsy challenge in the middle of a baseline rally. He wins the next two points for 2-2. Federer caps a hold at love with a textbook serve and volley and a 3-2 lead in the third set.
Break points have been the difference in this match. Nadal is 3 of 4 and Federer is 1 of 12 after blowing four more in the sixth game of the set. 3-3. In another stunning turn, Nadal follows his gritty hold by earning a triple break point on Federer's serve. But Federer saves all three of them and wins the next two points for a match-saving hold. He leads 4-3.
Nadal comes right back with a quick hold for 4-4. A big serve at 40-30 gives Federer a fairly comfortable hold as well, and he leads 5-4 as we go down to the wire in the third set.
The covers are now out on the court as the threatening skies finally delivered. Stick around for updates.
It's certainly too early to count Federer out as he roars to a 1-0 lead with a hold at love.
He looks like the Federer of old all of a sudden, smacking a forehand winner to the deep corner on the run to go up 0-30 on Nadal's serve. He earns a break point soon after and takes advantage. He's up 2-0 in the second. Federer keeps it up, following with a powerful hold as the look of confidence comes back to him. 3-0 Federer.
Not about to go away, Nadal comes back with a strong hold to cut the deficit to 3-1. Federer shows him up by holding at love for 4-1.
Nadal holds again to cut it to 4-2, but the momentum is favoring the five-time champ. The ball's starting to pop off his racquet better. ... And just as I say that, a bad miss from Federer at 30-30 gives Nadal a break point, and the Spaniard takes advantage. We're back on serve at 4-3.
Point of the match so far. Nadal hits a scorcher to the sideline, Federer lunges to send it back, Nadal sprints back into position, wheels around, and gets it back to Federer. A few strokes later and Nadal punches a drop shot attempt into the tape. Federer earns a break chance, but a strong Nadal serve down the middle gets it back to deuce. Federer comes to the net and takes a full swing at a floating shot from Nadal but misses it. A strong serve from Nadal then levels the set 4-4.
Nadal strips the first three points off Federer on his serve and suddenly the five-time defending champion is in serious trouble on Centre Court. Three break points. Federer saves the first after coming to the net, but Nadal finishes a long rally with a strong forehand to the corner. In three paragraphs the momentum has swung squarely back to the three-time Wimbledon finalist. He's up 5-4 and will serve for a two-set lead.
Nadal definitely brings something out in Federer that we rarely see with any other opponent. We'll see if Roger can turn the emotion into something positive — and quickly enough to save himself in this match. Even when Federer's controlling a point, Nadal is finding ways to hit winners. He earns a set point after a beautiful slice backhand that catches Federer out of position. With the pressure heaped on, Federer saves the set point and earns a break chance. Nadal swings it right back for a second set point. This time, he gets it. Nadal wins the set 6-4.
There's a buzz on Centre Court as we get set to watch what should be a fascinating final. We'll get history either way — Federer's sixth Wimbledon title or Nadal's big breakthrough off the clay courts.
Sharp quality right away to start. A long rally ends with Nadal blasting a forehand to the baseline for a quick lead on Federer's serve. But Federer storms back, dictates the rest of the game and holds for a 1-0 lead, finishing on an ace.
Why is Federer the best on grass? He just turned defense into offense in a heartbeat, taking a point that Nadal should've won for 15-15. But Nadal jumps right back and holds for 1-1. Then an errant Federer forehand at 30-30 gives Nadal his first break chance of the match, and he capitalizes, forcing a Federer mishit. Interesting early development as Nadal goes up 2-1.
The ball is not coming true off Federer's racquet, particularly the backhand. Nadal jumps out to a 40-0 lead, but Federer fights back to force our first deuce of the match. Another long rally ends with Nadal missing a running forehand, giving Federer the break chance right back. But Nadal shows some grit, fights through three deuces, and holds for a 3-1 lead. Federer responds with a quick hold at love. Nadal up 3-2.
Nadal's service game goes much better this time, capped by a Federer backhand miss as he takes a 4-2 lead. Federer holds right back, but Nadal makes him work for it. We're in for a good match.
Another game ends on a Federer mishit as Nadal puts himself one game away from the first set at 5-3. Federer holds at love, but he'll need a break to stay in the first set, down 5-4.
Nadal briefly gets in trouble in the next game, falling behind 15-30, but he rallies and soon earns a set point. An extreme-angle rally ends with Federer rocketing a backhand up the line to force deuce. Federer comes to the net to finish another point and gets his second break point of the set. Nadal wins a thrilling rally, then smacks an ace to get his second set point. Federer punches back, earning another break chance. The pendulum then swings back to Nadal. He finally capitalizes on set point number three. It's the first time Federer has lost the first set at Wimbledon since the 2004 final against Andy Roddick.
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