1 Response to madrid07nalbandian_federer_

1. Voo de Mar says:

   October 16, 2020 at 9:20 am

   Points won by each set: | 19-28, 30-26, 29-24 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   26 % Nalbandian – 20 of 75
   30 % Federer – 25 of 81

   It’s a strange story: Nalbandian [25] belonged to the best players of the world in the years 2003-06, the season ’07 was bad for his standards, and the streak of frequent defeats was almost continued in Madrid. # The Argentine miraculously survived the second round match against Berdych, then he won the title having defeated three best players in the world (just as the third player in history). It was an amazing achievement then, incomparably more stunning now, because he defeated in back-to-back matches the three greatest players of all-time, and before eliminating them he’d outplayed his compatriot Del Potro who would become one of the best players two years later! There was a bizarre situation as “Fat Dave” led 3:0* (0/30) in the 2nd set of the final – the match was suspended for 8 minutes because of sprinkler’s malfunction which caused the leak of water to the court. Federer [1] lost his serve at 1-all in the 3rd set; serving to stay in the final, he witnessed Nalbandian’s best game (Nalby won it at ’30’ hitting three winners). “I was very focused, knowing I’d have to play incredibly to win and everything went right for me,” said Nalbandian. “It was a big boost for me to beat so many good players here this week.”

   Nalbandian’s route to his 6th title:
   1 Arnaud Clement 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
   2 Tomas Berdych 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(2)
   3 Juan M. Del Potro 6-2, 6-4
   Q Rafael Nadal 6-1, 6-2
   S Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6(4)
   W Roger Federer 1-6, 6-3, 6-3

   # Trailed 0:4* in 2nd set vs Berdych, also *5:6 (30-all) in 3rd set!

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