Rafael Nadal (photo ©Sylvain WEBER) reached the final only occasionally playing the high level tennis we had become accustomed to in recent years. However he lost only two sets against John Isner in the first round while he defeated in straight sets Robin Soderling in the quarter-finals and Andy Murray in the semifinals.

Roger Federer reached the final playing well, at the best seen from him this year in which so far he only won the Doha tournament, definitely not enough for him. He lost only one set against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, becoming the first player to defeat the Serbian this year.

Nadal and Federer have played 24 matches against each other and of these 3 were Roland Garros finals so there are no secrets in their strategies. Federer starts with great aggressiveness and breaks Nadal’s serve in the second game. On 5-2 the Swiss serves for the set but then he loses his serve twice. This time it’s the Spanish who serves for the set and wins it 7-5.

Rafael Nadal start the next set just like he finished the first one, breaking Roger Federer’s serve. The Swiss start serving well again and in the eighth game he breaks the Spaniard’s serve just to lose it in the next game. Nadal serves for the set but on 40-40 the rain starts and the match is suspended. The interruption lasts only a few minutes and when it’s resumed Fedrer breaks his opponent’s serve. In the tie-break Nadal takes an advantade going on 4-0 and keeps it winning it 7-3 to conquer the second set.

The third set is close the sixth game, when Roger Federer makes some mistakes that cost him the break but in the next game he breaks Rafael Nadal’s serve. There is a new break in the eleventh game for Federer, who in the next game with the service wins the set 7-5.

At the beginning of the fourth set Rafael Nadal faces three consecutive break points but he keeps his serve. In the fourth and sixth game the Spaniard breaks Roger Federer’s serve and in the seventh game he closes the set 6-1 to win match and tournaments.

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The final was in many ways like the others play by Nadal and Federer. For a while Federer can counteract Nadal’s shots and places extraordinary winners but for longer periods he suffers his opponent. Today this has happened less than usual because Nadal hasn’t played at his best while Federer served well in most of his serve games but it wasn’t enough.

Roger Federer didn’t do it but considering that there were people who saw him ready for retirement it’s not so bad.

Rafael Nadal won his sixth title at the French Open despite not playing at his best and for now he remains the No. 1 in the world.

Wimbledon begins in two weeks with a new battle between Nadal and Federer with Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and perhaps some other players trying to beat them.