Rafael Nadal completed an excellent week's work yesterday by beating world number one Roger Federer 7-5, 6-, 6-3 to take the Hamburg Masters title for the first time in his career despite a wobbly start.

After Saturday's marathon three hour semi-final against Novak Djokovic, Nadal required on-court treatment for a sore leg midway through the first set with the scores standing at 1-5, but fought back to take the set 7-5 though he was narrowly unable to repeat the feat in the second set, which he eventually went on to lose in a tie-break having trailed at one point by two games to five.

After finally winning the only clay court title to have eluded him, Nadal said "I'm very happy to win here, it was a dream, I'm having a perfect season."

The young Mallorcan has now won 26 titles in all, three of which have been won this season after previous wins in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. At Roland Garros next week, he will be aiming to secure a fourth consecutive title.

For his part, Federer was typically gracious in defeat, "Rafa has played incredibly well again the whole week and the whole clay season. It's hard for the rest of us, but hopefully it will be a different story in Paris."

In nine head-to head matches on clay, Federer's only victory came in the final of last year's Hamburg Masters when the Swiss master won the title for the third time in a row.

Nadal battles through to Hamburg final
By: thinkSPAIN
Sunday, May 18, 2008

It took more than three hours for Rafael Nadal to beat Serbia's Novak Djokovic (7-5, 2-6, 6-2) in the semi-final of the Hamburg Masters yesterday while Roger Federer needed just 79 minutes to see off Italy's Andreas Seppi (6-3, 6-1).

The tenacious young Mallorcan, who saved 15 out of 19 break points against him, clings on to his world number two ranking for now, but predicted after the game, "I'm sure that he'll go past me, if not at Roland Garros, then at Wimbledon because he's got fewer points to defend than me."

With respect to today's repeat of last year's final, Nadal said, ""I am looking forward to playing in Roger's home. He has won here four times, he loves it here, it will be a very tough match. Roger played a little over an hour of tennis today, while I played more than three. I just have to make sure I am 100% ready."

Nadal defends world number two status against Djokovic in Hamburg semi
By: thinkSPAIN
Saturday, May 17, 2008

Rafael Nadal beat fellow Mallorcan Carlos Moyà 6-1, 6-3 in the quarter finals of the Hamburg Masters yesterday evening to set up a fascinating semi-final against the in-form Novak Djokovic (photo), who, should he win, would displace Nadal as world number two, having already won one Grand Slam and two Masters titles in what has been a magnificent season for the young Serbian, who booked his place with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 win against Albert Montañés.

In the other side of the draw, four-times tournament winner Roger Federer, who beat Nadal for the only time on clay in last year's final, will face Italy's Andreas Seppi after respective victories against Fernando Verdasco (6-3, 6-3) and local favourite, Nicolas Kiefer.

Nadal to face Moyà in Hamburg quarters
By: thinkSPAIN
Friday, May 16, 2008

Rafael Nadal beat Scotland's Andy Murray 6-3, 6-2 in the third round of the Hamburg Masters yesterday to set up an all-Spanish quarter final also involving Carlos Moyà (archive photo), who beat Marat Safin 6-2, 6-7, 6-1.

The two Mallorcans have played each other seven times before, most recently in the semi-finals of the Chennai Open - a very even contest only decided after a third tie-break (6-7, 7-6, 7-6) that gave Nadal a fifth career win against his old friend.

In yesterday's all-Spanish third round match, Fernando Verdasco beat David Ferrer 7-6, 6-2 and next faces holder Roger Federer.

Also through is Albert Montañés - who also reached the quarter finals of the Conde de Godo Barcelona Open - after a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Janko Tipsarevich. His next match will be his first against world number three, Novak Djokovic, who has already won the Australia Open and the Rome Masters this season. Waiting for the winner in the semi-final will be either Nadal or Moyà.

Nadal to face Murray in Hamburg
By: thinkSPAIN
Thursday, May 15, 2008

Scotland's Andy Murray, who turned 21 today, will be hoping to celebrate in style by beating Rafael Nadal in the third round of the Hamburg Masters later this afternoon.

Now fully recovered from the blister problems blamed for his recent early exit in Rome, Nadal needed more than two hours yesterday to notch a 6-4, 7-6 victory against Italy's Potito Starace, who played much better than the last time the two met at the Barcelona Open at the start of the month.

Top seed Roger Federer, who beat Nadal in last year's final, is also through after a comfortable 6-1, 6-3 second-round win against Finland's Jarkko Nieminen and next faces Sweden's Robin Soderling.

Four others Spaniards have also reached the third round, where David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco meet each other while Carlos Moyà and Albert Montañés take on Russia's Marat Safin and Serbia's Janko Tipsarevich respectively.