Abu Dhabi: Top-ranked Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) to defend his title at the World Tennis Championships exhibition tournament Saturday.
Nadal came back from 3-0 in the first tiebreaker to win the set helped by several unforced errors from the No. 2 Swiss, including a backhand that went wide and then a forehand long that gave the Spaniard the lead.
The second set was just as tight, with neither player able to break the other. Nadal used his much-improved served and his athleticism to gain the edge. He hit a cross court winner to go up 6-3 and then Federer hit a shot long to give Nadal the victory.
Rafael Nadal receives the winner’s trophy from Mahmoud Ebrahim Al Mahmoud, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, after winning the Mubadala Tennis Championship
final against Roger Federer (left) at the Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex at Zayed Sports City on Saturday.
Image Credit: Abdul Rahman/Gulf News
