Tennis: Nadal Claims Federer Scalp in Battle of the Surfaces

Rafael Nadal yesterday prevailed in the so-called "Battle of the Surfaces" with a tense 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (12-10) victory against Roger Federer. What began as an exhibition became an epic as the world's two best players slugged it out on a court in Palma that was grass at one end, clay at the other, on Nadal's home island of Mallorca.

Both players are undisputed champions of their respective surfaces, Nadal last week extending his world-record winning run on clay to 72 matches. In winning his fourth straight Wimbledon crown last summer, Federer racked up a record 48th successive victory on grass.

Neither player had defeated the other on his favoured surface, Nadal having won all five clay-court meetings, including the last two French Open finals. Their only grass-court meeting came in last year's Wimbledon final, which Federer won.

The opening three games went with serve but then, despite serving on to grass, Federer lost his way to hand Nadal a 3-1 lead. The two players broke each other once after that but the Spaniard held on to win the set 7-5.

Federer, however, upped the tempo at the start of the second half, immediately breaking Nadal, who was serving on to his favoured clay. That proved to be enough to eventually take the set 6-4 and level the match.

Nadal then broke serve in the fourth game of the deciding set for a 3-1 lead but Federer hit straight back and then held serve to level at 3-3. There were no further breaks but in the tie-break Federer claimed the first mini-break to go 2-0 up. Nadal, however, caught up with the world No1 and the pair could not be separated until Nadal broke at 11-10 for victory.