Shell shocked

THE Swiss looked shell-shocked and when he dropped his serve to trail 2-0 in the second set, he had won just 16 points in the entire match. His response, though, was immediate and he broke back in the next game with his best all-round tennis of the match.

Becoming more aggressive and serving-and-volleying at times, Federer saved a break point to level at 2-2, then forced a break point at 3-3, only to net a backhand as Nadal held on. That proved to be the turning point of the set and Nadal rifled a backhand down the line to break in the next game and served out for a two-set lead.

Blanked out

Though Federer saved two break points in the opening game of the third set, Nadal snatched the break on his third chance when Federer netted a forehand. Nadal repeated the feat twice and served out to take the title when Federer’s forehand went long.

It was the first time that Federer had lost a set to love since the first round of the Queen’s Club tournament in London in 1999, against Zimbabwean Byron Black.

It was the shortest French Open men’s final in terms of games since 1977 and the quickest final, at 108 minutes, since 1980.