Nadal and Williams wins Italian Open

Rafa Nadal defeated his great rival Roger Federer in the Italian Open, 6-1 6-3 on Sunday.

Nadal is back after last year's long injury layoff. Nadal, fifth seed, dominated the first set, winning 20 of 25 points at one stage, as the Swiss second seed produced a chain of unforced errors.

Federer up his game in the second set, breaking a nine-game losing streak to go 1-3, but Nadal was in no mood to slow down. Despite being broken as he served for the match at 5-1, Nadal went on to complete his 36th win in 38 matches this year.

"It's a very important day, a very happy day for me after a difficult year last year," Nadal

"It is really emotional for me to win a tournament with such a long history as Rome. See you next year."

"I am just enjoying the moment and valuing it more than ever because I know where we were just a few months ago," he said. "Being here a few months later with all I have achieved is really more than a dream."

Meanwhile, Serena Williams won her fourth consecutive tour title when she easily defeated Victoria Azarenka 6-1 6-3 to take the women's title. Serena last lost to Azarenka in the Doha final in February. This time Serena overpowered Azarenka, she hit nine aces and 41 winners in the two sets.

"It wasn't easy, nothing is ever easy. Last year I was feeling excellent on clay but didn't do that great at Roland Garros; this year I'm cautious and I want to work hard and stay focused and win every point I play, and not slack at all," Williams said.

Federer Grand Slam champion again at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) - Roger Federer won the Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.

"The victory today is a dream come true for me and my family, you know, seeing them there,'' he said. "It's big.''

Federer, 30 ended a Grand Slam drought and equaled a Wimbledon record by winning the tournament for the seventh time Sunday, beating Andy Murray of Britain, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4.

For months Federer had been widely viewed as a champion in decline, eclipsed by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Now he has won a 17th major title, padding his record, and he's back atop the ATP rankings for the first time since June 2010, matching Pete Sampras' record of 286 weeks at No. 1.

In less than three weeks, Federer will be back at Wimbledon trying to win his first Olympic singles gold medal. He'll be tough to beat in a setting where he plays his best tennis.

He matched the record of seven Wimbledon titles set in the 1880s by William Renshaw and tied in 2000 by Federer's hero, Sampras. And while he ended his own 2 1/2-year Grand Slam dry spell, he extended decades of frustration for the British, who haven't had a homegrown men's champion since 1936.

source sportsillustrated

Rafa Nadal lost the Wimbledon final on Sunday

 

Rafa Nadal lost the Wimbledon final on Sunday and will concede the number one ranking to his conqueror Novak Djokovic but the gritty Spaniard has known worse times. "You know what is the toughest moment? In Australia in 2010 when I had to go out with an injury. That is the toughest

moment," the 10-times grand slam winner told reporters.

Nadal is famous for his never-say-die mentality, so having to pull out of the Australian Open quarter-final against Andy Murray was as tough a time as the 25-year-old has known.

That withdrawal led to fears for his future, especially after the woes of 2009 where he missed the French Open and Wimbledon, but Nadal responded by winning three grand slams last year and his fitness troubles are now a thing of the past.

"After playing eight finals this year, winning Roland Garros a few weeks ago, playing the final here cannot be the toughest loss of my career," Nadal said, reflecting on a year that but for Djokovic could have ranked amongst his most dominant.

"Last five times wasn't my time. I'm gonna wait and I'm gonna try a sixth time," Nadal said of his five successive 2011 losses to Djokovic, all in finals.

"And if the sixth doesn't happen, or the seventh. It's going to be like this. That's the spirit of the sport.

"I understand the sport like this. When one player is better than you, at that moment the only thing you can do is work, try to find solutions, and try to wait a little bit for your time."

Given Nadal's bullish determination he will probably not have to wait long, and should Djokovic's form dip from the sensational 48 wins and just one defeat in 2011 the Spaniard will be waiting.

"For me when I was winning three grand slams last year, my level of last year is not forever. Probably the level of Novak of today is not forever. I'm gonna be here fighting all the time, waiting for my moment to beat him another time."

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