Rafael Nadal Beats Roger Federer in Abu Dhabi Showdown

Lauren LynchJan 1, 2011

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Rafael Nadal has defeated Roger Federer in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3). Neither of the two best players currently in men’s tennis were able to break one another’s serves, but Nadal was able to clinch the tie-break points and finish out what ended up being a very close match.

The match was a good precursor to what will undoubtedly be a competitive 2011 year in men’s tennis. With Nadal well on his way to getting a non-calendar Grand Slam (2010’s French Open, Wimbledon, US Open and 2011’s Australian Open) with four Slam titles in a row, this could be the year where Nadal proves himself to be of legendary status.

First though, the top two players of the ATP face off at the first official tournament of the new season, the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Jan. 3. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have faced off in several high profile games recently, playing in the 2010 ATP World Tour Finals in London and each of their exhibition matches—one in Zurich billed as the “The Match for Africa,” hosted by Roger Federer and one in Madrid with the tag line “Joining Forces for the Benefit of Children,” hosted by Rafael Nadal.

Since this bout was a close one, there is no doubting that the 2011 year will particularly heated—Federer fighting to protect his reputation as the Greatest of All-Time and Nadal looking to prove his greatness in longevity.