Points won by each set: | 27-12, 31-40, 31-17 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
13 % Nadal – 10 of 74
7 % Martin – 6 of 84
Nine years before Djokovic almost double bageled Berdych in the Beijing final, the closest to produce such an unusual scoreline in an ATP final had been Nadal [48] leading 6-0 *4:0 (15-all) vs fellow Spaniard – Martin [61]. Something like that absolutely couldn’t be expected at the time: the 18-year-old Nadal admittedly had already established a status of very promising player, but his eight years older compatriot was ranked at the similar level, moreover Martin was theoretically fresher entering the final with a perfect (3-0) record in those matches, and they had never played against each other… Nadal, who survived back-to-back matches that lasted 2:31 hrs each before the final, began with 0/40 on serve, but held and quickly proved that the fatigue of two tough encounters wasn’t a problem at all winning nine following games not facing a break/game point. Once Martin appeared on the scoreboard, the Brazilian crowd started to root for him like for a local player and it intimidated the inexperienced Nadal. In the 3rd set the youngster regained his composure though, and won the deciding set quite easily despite visible tiredness.
Nadal’s route to his 2nd title:
1 Jose Acasuso 7-6(1), 6-3
2 Alex Calatrava 6-3, 6-3
Q Agustin Calleri 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-4
S Ricardo Mello 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
W Alberto Martin 6-0, 6-7(2), 6-1
# Nadal had two match points serving at 5:3 in the 2nd set vs Calleri, and came back from a 2:4 deficit in the 3rd set of his semifinal vs Mello
Points won by each set: | 27-12, 31-40, 31-17 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
13 % Nadal – 10 of 74
7 % Martin – 6 of 84
Nine years before Djokovic almost double bageled Berdych in the Beijing final, the closest to produce such an unusual scoreline in an ATP final had been Nadal [48] leading 6-0 *4:0 (15-all) vs fellow Spaniard – Martin [61]. Something like that absolutely couldn’t be expected at the time: the 18-year-old Nadal admittedly had already established a status of very promising player, but his eight years older compatriot was ranked at the similar level, moreover Martin was theoretically fresher entering the final with a perfect (3-0) record in those matches, and they had never played against each other… Nadal, who survived back-to-back matches that lasted 2:31 hrs each before the final, began with 0/40 on serve, but held and quickly proved that the fatigue of two tough encounters wasn’t a problem at all winning nine following games not facing a break/game point. Once Martin appeared on the scoreboard, the Brazilian crowd started to root for him like for a local player and it intimidated the inexperienced Nadal. In the 3rd set the youngster regained his composure though, and won the deciding set quite easily despite visible tiredness.
Nadal’s route to his 2nd title:
1 Jose Acasuso 7-6(1), 6-3
2 Alex Calatrava 6-3, 6-3
Q Agustin Calleri 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-4
S Ricardo Mello 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
W Alberto Martin 6-0, 6-7(2), 6-1
# Nadal had two match points serving at 5:3 in the 2nd set vs Calleri, and came back from a 2:4 deficit in the 3rd set of his semifinal vs Mello