Vincible (3) - Federer def. Nadal in TMS Hamburg '07

As if to prove that you just can’t predict what will happen in an ATP season, particularly this current one where star players have revealed gaping chinks in their armor, Rafael Nadal succumbed to world no. 1 Roger Federer at the Hamburg Masters Series last night (Philippine time), losing in the final 6-2, 2-6, 0-6.

Nadal’s record 81-match winning streak came to a halt after colliding with the Federer Express who upped his game on the tennis surface where he is 0-5 versus the Mallorcan. The Swiss tennister seems to be lucky in Germany though: he has won this leg of the Masters Series thrice in the last four years prior to the 2007 edition. But as Nadal said in the post-game press conference, he sheds no tears since he lost to a better player.
With just a week to go before hostilities begin in Roland Garros, the year’s second major and only Slam Federer has yet to win, this victory in Hamburg is a definite morale booster as he goes on his way to tennis immortality.

Even if both Andy Roddick and Martina Hingis are unable to play in Paris, Federer will be reason enough to stay up late again during the May-June fortnight. Won’t it be a treat to see the top dog who’s actually an underdog- in this surface at least- emerge at the end of the tournament holding the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy over his head?

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