Nadal

Top seeded Roger Federer and second seeded Spaniard Rafa Nadal will go at each other on Sunday in the final featuring a living legend and a legend-to-be. On Sunday, the red clay of the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open will be the scene of a telling match with both players looking to show their dominance and claim the lion’s share of the $4.5 million tournament. For intensity and ability, men’s tennis does not get any better than this.

When these two go at each other, there is more than money at stake. Federer thrived n Nadal’s absence last year, winning his first championship at Roland Garros and later followed by his record-breaking title at Wimbledon. Now, the greatest player of all time’s nemesis is back. Sunday’s match will mark the 21st meeting between the two.

Nadal is the only active player to hold a career edge on the Swiss. His 13-7 won-lost record is fairly convincing. Eight of Nadal’s wins have come on clay against just two losses. All ten matches were in the final round.

There is more than this match at stake on Sunday as both players look to equal or surpass some significant historical standards. The Madrid finals will be the 17th time the pair have met for a tour-level final, which surpasses the mark held by Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras and is just three matches short of the standard bearers, Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe.

Nadal had a five-match win streak against Roger Federer until the Swiss captured the finals in Madrid last year. After suffering a knee injury in Paris, Nadal was not the same player, but has rounded into form during the clay court season.

Both players were tested on Saturday. Nadal played early in the day and was shocked by fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro’s burst at the start. After the pair split service breaks, Almagro, who is now 0-6 against Nadal, jumped to a 4-1 start and then held on to win the set 6-4.

Convinced this was no walkover, Nadal intensified his return of serve and became more patient on the baseline. The result was a dominating performance as the soon-to-be world number two cruised through the final sets 6-2, 6-2.

With a win in Sunday’s final, Nadal would become the first player in tour history to sweep all three clay-court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles in the same season.

“Playing against Federer, against one of the best in the history of the game is always great. It always has an extra motivation,” offered Nadal about the final.

In the evening semifinal, Federer had his hands full with another hometown favorite, Spaniard David Ferrer, who has been hot of late and possesses more 2010 tour wins than any other player. The Madrid crowd provided plenty of support as Ferrer bounced came back from a tough 5-7 loss of the first set to take set two at 6-3.

The Spaniard had the crowd buzzing as the players fought to 3-3 in the third. When Federer held to go up 4-3, the Swiss put together a string of returns and groundstrokes that broke the Spaniard’s serve and spirit in the 6-3 end.

A win on Sunday would give the Swiss his 63rd tour level title and equal Bjorn Borg’s mark. A win by Nadal would push the 23-year old past Agassi for the most ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles as well as for the most match wins at 210.

On clay, Nadal must be considered a strong favorite. Federer will have to rely on his reliable serve and pinpoint one-handed backhand to counter Nadal’s speed and shotmaking abilities. With the Madrid crowd roaring, it will be a terrific final and perhaps a glimpse at what is ahead in the 2010 French Open, which starts in seven days.

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