From the Ashes, Roger Federer Masters Madrid

Like the subtle earth tones of his blue-gray tennis attire, Roger Federer captured the essence of the clay surface and molded his game from the ground up to defeat his nemesis, Rafael Nadal, today in the finals of the Mutua Madrileña Masters in Madrid, 6-4, 6-4.

There were questions galore coming into this final with no one firmly expecting the former world No. 1 to reign supreme on this day, although normally all the signs would have pointed to a Federer victory.

Roger was serving well, his forehand seemed steadier, and he appeared to have mastery of that backhand stroke that so often becomes the target of Nadal’s match strategy to defeat him. 

Nadal played a grueling four-hour semifinal against Novak Djokovic the day before. It was a marathon contest of wills with Nadal barely squeaking out a victory at the end of the day, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6. We suspect he collapsed onto the red clay when the last ball was struck as much from exhaustion as in exhilaration.

Roger, on the other hand, dismissed Juan Martin Del Potro in about an hour and a half, 6-3, 6-4, while barely exerting himself, even though the hour was much later. 

No one quite believes in Federer anymore, although they speculate about “when” rather than “if” in speaking of his return to glory. Certainly no one expects "glory" to reappear on clay and especially against Rafael Nadal.

As they took to court today, the contrast in style and attitude was immediately apparent. Roger was ushered on stage first, cool and collected, apparently. He betrayed none of the nerves that were pulsing through his taut frame. 

Rafa was his usual exuberant self, bouncing and pacing and running—trying to show Federer and the world that he was not tired; he was not spent. This was just another day at the office for the world No. 1.

All was right in the Nadal kingdom. Today was another crown, another clay court record, and another nail in the Federer coffin. Let the games begin!

The first thing that stood out as extraordinary was Roger electing to receive rather than serve first. Federer almost always chooses serving first because that puts him ahead in the set. Immediately something was different.

Neither player was clicking on all cylinders right away. Each, however, managed to hold serve, and soon it was 4-4 in the first set. With one break chance on the Nadal serve in game nine, Federer converted and went up 5-4. 

With that break in hand, Federer served out his next game and took the first set 6-4 to the consternation of the suddenly subdued fans filling the stadium, expecting their native son to capture the title in this first clay court tournament held in Madrid.

Nadal seemed to bounce right back in the second set. He opened with a hold at love and then repeated that in game three. But there was grim and certain determination in the Swiss man’s demeanor, and he was not going to cave in this time. 

In the fifth game, Federer once again found himself unearthing a break point, and once again he was able to capitalize, breaking Nadal and going up 3-2. 

With Nadal a step slower, the courts a step faster, and Federer much more determined, the Swiss maestro was to have this championship even though Nadal fought hard to prevent it from happening.

Federer fought his way back from break points to championship points on his last serve, finally securing the win on his second match point. As he raised his hand, his finger pointing heavenward, relief spilled over his features.

The crowd, though not jubilant, appreciated the former champion’s gutsy and determined play and accorded him a warm congratulatory welcome. The two friends met at the net, cordially, now that the contest had ended. 

This marked Federer’s second clay court victory over Nadal, the last one during the finals in Hamburg in 2007 to end a Nadal streak of 81 straight victories on clay.  Today’s streak ended a 33-match clay winning streak for Nadal. 

Many more record chances for Nadal were dashed today by Federer, who returned the favor for Nadal’s interruption of the Federer dynasty on grass.

Federer is now tied with Nadal with 15 ATP Masters Shields, both two shy of Andre Agassi’s record 17 Shields. The last time Federer won a Masters Series event, besides the 2008 final in Shanghai, was in Cincinnati in 2007. 

This victory, however, does little to lessen the Nadal juggernaut on the rest of the field. It will do little to lessen the likelihood of his victory at Roland Garros, where altitude is not a factor and where the bounces are truer and the courts slower. 

Nadal is going for his fifth straight title at the French Open. No one bets against him at Roland Garros.

But what Rafa is discovering is that, perhaps, he has competition. Djokovic is not going away. Nadal may face him again in the semifinals. 

Federer is hitting his stride on clay at just the right moment, and this victory might shore up his weakened resolve and propel him into another siege mentality, when he feels he can best any opponent on the other side of the net. 

That spells danger and potential disaster and not definite victory in the Nadal camp, where there is just the faint aroma of defeat hanging in the air...