Third French Open loss for Federer

Keystone

Switzerland's Roger Federer has lost the French Open tennis final in straight sets to Rafael Nadal.

The 22-year-old Spaniard dominated the 108-minute match, beating the world number one by 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 on Sunday.

This was the third consecutive loss to Nadal in the French Open final for Federer and the result edged him further from his dream of winning all four grand slam titles.

“I hoped to do a bit better than four games but Rafa is very strong,” he said afterwards.

“He has dominated this tournament almost like nobody has before, perhaps like Björn [Borg]. To lose in the final is not much fun but I am going to try again next year.”

Nadal, ranked number two, had not dropped a set during the entire tournament.

He said he felt sorry for Federer but was happy to have played a “practically perfect match”.

“I congratulate Roger for all he has done in his career, but there is a time for winning and a time for losing,” he added.

“I congratulate him for his attitude in defeat, as in victory, and for the good he does for tennis.”

Frustrated

Federer made four unforced errors to give away a break of serve in the first game and Nadal went on to take the first set in just 32 minutes.

A frustrated Federer was kicking the clay by the fourth game and by the second set was shouting at himself.

He earned a break point in the second set at 3-3 but failed to score under increased pressure from Nadal. Federer made 35 unforced errors during the final, to Nadal’s seven.

It was a fourth consecutive Roland Garros win for Nadal, an achievement previously attained by Björn Borg in 1981, who was on hand to present the winning trophy to the Spaniard.

The final was Federer’s worst loss in his 173 grand slam matches and the shortest Roland Garros men’s final in terms of games since 1977.

swissinfo with agencies

GRAND SLAMS

A player who holds all four grand slam titles – the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open – at the same time is said to have achieved the Grand Slam. A “true” Grand Slam is when all titles are won in the same calendar year.

Rod Laver is the only male player in the open era (post-1968) to achieve a Grand Slam (which was also “true”), in 1969. Andre Agassi won all four titles but in different years (a career Grand Slam).

Grand slam titles (open era):
14: Pete Sampras
13: Roger Federer
11: Björn Borg
8: Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl

FRENCH OPEN

The 2008 French Open is the second grand slam event of the year and is held at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris.

The 2008 French Open offered prize money of €15,575,960 ($24,250,000). As in 2007 the event awarded equal prize money to men and women in all events. The male and female singles champions each receive €1 million.

The event began as a national tournament in 1891 as the Championnat de France International de Tennis.