It could have been a dream comes true out there on the Paris clay today for world number one Roger Federer who, if he had beaten Rafael Nadal in the final of the French Open, would have become only the fourth man to have won all of four of tennis' majors. Istead, it was a repeat of what has become his annual nightmare: a four-set loss to Nadal.
Federer must be taking the loss very badly since the classy champ actually refused to do a post-match interview with NBC's Bud Collins. Can't say I blame him. He must be kicking himself for not winning the first set of the match when he had countless break point possibilities then got broken early on the third and fourth sets. So, he lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and Nadal becomes the first man since Bjorn Borg 25 years ago to win three French titles in a row.
Nadal, now 21-0 in Paris, told NBC's Collins that between he and Federer, "it comes down to the moment always...anything can happen for sure."
Nadal has little time to savor the victory as he heads to London to begin play in the Queen's Club tourney on grass. He will play his first match Wednesday then practice for a week before starfting at Wimbledon where he lost to Federer in last year's final.