honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, May 16, 2010

Tennis: Nadal beats Federer in Madrid for 18th Masters win

Advertiser Staff

MADRID — Rafael Nadal won a record 18th Masters title by beating Roger Federer 6-4, 7-6 (5) in the Madrid final on Sunday.

Nadal reversed the result of the 2009 final — the last time the pair had played — to win in Madrid for a second time and move one Masters title ahead of Andre Agassi and two in front of Federer.

Nadal, who will return to No. 2 in Monday's rankings, is 15-0 on clay this season after having won in Monte Carlo and Rome. He has lost only two sets during that run.

Both players dropped serve early in the first set before the second-seeded Nadal broke decisively to lead 4-3.

In the second set, Nadal claimed a tightly contested tiebreaker after two breaks of serve each.