Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer 6-1, 6-3 in the Rome final 2013 on clay
It was Nadal's 7th title at the venue and he would go onto win the French Open in a couple of weeks, the US Open later in the year (https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...-nadal-vs-djokovic-us-open-final-2013.633492/) as well as finish number 1 for the year
Nadal won 59 points, Federer 36
Serve Stats
Nadal...
- 1st serve percentage (30/42) 71%
- 1st serve points won (21/30) 70%
- 2nd serve points won (9/12) 75%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (13/42) 31%
Federer...
- 1st serve percentage (32/53) 60%
- 1st serve points won (17/32) 53%
- 2nd serve points won (6/21) 29%
- Aces 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (8/53) 15%
Serve Pattern
Nadal served...
- to FH 7%
- to BH 83%
- to Body 10%
Federer served...
- to FH 34%
- to BH 66%
Return Stats
Nadal made...
- 45 (21 FH, 24 BH), including 9 runaround FHs
- Winners (2 BH)
- 5 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 FH)
- 4 Forced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (45/53) 85%
Federer made...
- 28 (7 FH, 21 BH), including 6 runaround FHs-
- 1 Winner (1 FH), a runaround
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (1 FH, 2 BH), including 1 runaround FH attempt
- 9 Forced (4 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (28/41) 68%
Break Points
Nadal 5/6 (5 games)
Federer 1/2 (2 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Nadal 10 (4 FH, 6 BH)
Federer 12 (2 FH, 2 BH, 4 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 1 BHV, 1 OH, 1 BHOH)
Nadal's FHs - 1 dtl, 1 inside-out, 1 inside-in and 1 running-down-a-drop-shot
- regular BHs - 1 cc return and 1 running-down-a-drop-shot
- BH passes - 2 cc (1 a return) and 2 dtl
Federer's FHs - 1 inside-in return and 1 dtl/inside-out
- BHs - 1 cc and 1 dtl
- 3 from serve-volley points - 2 first volleys (2 FHV) and 1 second volley (1 BHOH)
- the FH1/2V was a drop shot
Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Nadal 15
- 4 Unforced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- 11 Forced (5 FH, 6 BH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45
Federer 36
- 28 Unforced (12 FH, 14 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 8 Forced (3 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV, 2 BHV)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.8
(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)
(Note 2: The 'Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is a measure of how aggressive of intent the average UE made was. 60 is maximum, 20 is minimum. This match has been scored using a four point scale - 2 defensive, 4 neutral, 5 attacking, 6 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Nadal was 4/6 (67%) at net, with no serve-volleying
Federer was 13/23 (57%) at net, including 5/7 (71%) serve-volleying - 4/6 (67%) off first serves and 1/1 off second serves
He was 1/1 when forced back, which was off a serve-volley point
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Match Report
A thorough thrashing. Nadal plays well, but the story of the match is how poorly Federer plays
The background of this match is that Nadal had missed the latter part of the previous year with injury and had made a highly successful comeback. On clay, he'd been runner up in Monte Carlo and won the title in Madrid heading into this tournament. Federer meanwhile had been struggling with back issues round about the time
Federer impressively starts the match with a hold to 15. He serves an ace, serve-volleys twice and forces an error out of Nadal. And then he loses the next 9 games
There's very little the man from Switzerland does right. He makes plenty of return errors (I've probably been generous in giving him just 3 return UEs, though these are against first serves, there's nothing particularly difficult about returning them). Off the ground, he makes errors to routine balls off both sides - and usually in short rallies. He does serve well, but Nadal is returning exceptionally well to neutralize that. And he's decent at net - but again, Nadal is exceptional with his passing shots and the end result is Federer struggling in the forecourt. Federer's movements are likewise sluggish - both in covering the court and with his footwork
Nadal for that matter isn't moving great either. At the start off the second set, Federer forces two errors from the Spaniard with well angled BH cc's. These are the types of balls Nadal used to run down as a matter of course. However, Nadal retains the consistency of groundstroke for which he is well known. He largely targets Federer's BH.... but Federer makes errors so early in rallies (off both wings) that it doesn't look systematic
The highlights reel for Nadal would be dominated by his BH passing shots. He goes cc to go up 2-0 and dtl to make the score 5-1.
Serving for a double breadstick drubbing, Nadal is broken to love. Both players have a hand in this. Nadal commits 2 errors and Federer strikes to beautiful BH winners - 1 cc and 1 dtl. The Swiss proceeds to hold to make the scoreline look a bit more respectful in an elegantly played game in which he uses drop shots to bring Nadal to net a couple of times.
Two standout points from Federer are his overhead winners. In game 4 of the second set, he looks to be playing a FH drop shot but instead plays a FH slice approach shot that catches Nadal off guard. Taking the net, he dispatches the OH next shot. And in his last service game, he serve-volleys and hits a first drop volley that Nadal reaches and tries to lob. Federer athletically puts away the BHOH with Nadal standing helpless at net
Summing up, highlights reel aside, a disappointing showing from Federer in almost all areas. Playing neutrally or trying to be mildly aggressive (one senses that he might be incapable rather than unwilling to truly attack off the ground at this stage), his baseline game is an error strewn mess and his movement leaves much to be wanted. Nadal too has lost footspeed, but retains his consistency off the ground and excellence on the pass
The two wouldn't meet again on clay for 6 years at the French Open semi-final in 2019 when....
It was Nadal's 7th title at the venue and he would go onto win the French Open in a couple of weeks, the US Open later in the year (https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...-nadal-vs-djokovic-us-open-final-2013.633492/) as well as finish number 1 for the year
Nadal won 59 points, Federer 36
Serve Stats
Nadal...
- 1st serve percentage (30/42) 71%
- 1st serve points won (21/30) 70%
- 2nd serve points won (9/12) 75%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (13/42) 31%
Federer...
- 1st serve percentage (32/53) 60%
- 1st serve points won (17/32) 53%
- 2nd serve points won (6/21) 29%
- Aces 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (8/53) 15%
Serve Pattern
Nadal served...
- to FH 7%
- to BH 83%
- to Body 10%
Federer served...
- to FH 34%
- to BH 66%
Return Stats
Nadal made...
- 45 (21 FH, 24 BH), including 9 runaround FHs
- Winners (2 BH)
- 5 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 FH)
- 4 Forced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (45/53) 85%
Federer made...
- 28 (7 FH, 21 BH), including 6 runaround FHs-
- 1 Winner (1 FH), a runaround
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (1 FH, 2 BH), including 1 runaround FH attempt
- 9 Forced (4 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (28/41) 68%
Break Points
Nadal 5/6 (5 games)
Federer 1/2 (2 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Nadal 10 (4 FH, 6 BH)
Federer 12 (2 FH, 2 BH, 4 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 1 BHV, 1 OH, 1 BHOH)
Nadal's FHs - 1 dtl, 1 inside-out, 1 inside-in and 1 running-down-a-drop-shot
- regular BHs - 1 cc return and 1 running-down-a-drop-shot
- BH passes - 2 cc (1 a return) and 2 dtl
Federer's FHs - 1 inside-in return and 1 dtl/inside-out
- BHs - 1 cc and 1 dtl
- 3 from serve-volley points - 2 first volleys (2 FHV) and 1 second volley (1 BHOH)
- the FH1/2V was a drop shot
Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Nadal 15
- 4 Unforced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- 11 Forced (5 FH, 6 BH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45
Federer 36
- 28 Unforced (12 FH, 14 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 8 Forced (3 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV, 2 BHV)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.8
(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)
(Note 2: The 'Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is a measure of how aggressive of intent the average UE made was. 60 is maximum, 20 is minimum. This match has been scored using a four point scale - 2 defensive, 4 neutral, 5 attacking, 6 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Nadal was 4/6 (67%) at net, with no serve-volleying
Federer was 13/23 (57%) at net, including 5/7 (71%) serve-volleying - 4/6 (67%) off first serves and 1/1 off second serves
He was 1/1 when forced back, which was off a serve-volley point
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Match Report
A thorough thrashing. Nadal plays well, but the story of the match is how poorly Federer plays
The background of this match is that Nadal had missed the latter part of the previous year with injury and had made a highly successful comeback. On clay, he'd been runner up in Monte Carlo and won the title in Madrid heading into this tournament. Federer meanwhile had been struggling with back issues round about the time
Federer impressively starts the match with a hold to 15. He serves an ace, serve-volleys twice and forces an error out of Nadal. And then he loses the next 9 games
There's very little the man from Switzerland does right. He makes plenty of return errors (I've probably been generous in giving him just 3 return UEs, though these are against first serves, there's nothing particularly difficult about returning them). Off the ground, he makes errors to routine balls off both sides - and usually in short rallies. He does serve well, but Nadal is returning exceptionally well to neutralize that. And he's decent at net - but again, Nadal is exceptional with his passing shots and the end result is Federer struggling in the forecourt. Federer's movements are likewise sluggish - both in covering the court and with his footwork
Nadal for that matter isn't moving great either. At the start off the second set, Federer forces two errors from the Spaniard with well angled BH cc's. These are the types of balls Nadal used to run down as a matter of course. However, Nadal retains the consistency of groundstroke for which he is well known. He largely targets Federer's BH.... but Federer makes errors so early in rallies (off both wings) that it doesn't look systematic
The highlights reel for Nadal would be dominated by his BH passing shots. He goes cc to go up 2-0 and dtl to make the score 5-1.
Serving for a double breadstick drubbing, Nadal is broken to love. Both players have a hand in this. Nadal commits 2 errors and Federer strikes to beautiful BH winners - 1 cc and 1 dtl. The Swiss proceeds to hold to make the scoreline look a bit more respectful in an elegantly played game in which he uses drop shots to bring Nadal to net a couple of times.
Two standout points from Federer are his overhead winners. In game 4 of the second set, he looks to be playing a FH drop shot but instead plays a FH slice approach shot that catches Nadal off guard. Taking the net, he dispatches the OH next shot. And in his last service game, he serve-volleys and hits a first drop volley that Nadal reaches and tries to lob. Federer athletically puts away the BHOH with Nadal standing helpless at net
Summing up, highlights reel aside, a disappointing showing from Federer in almost all areas. Playing neutrally or trying to be mildly aggressive (one senses that he might be incapable rather than unwilling to truly attack off the ground at this stage), his baseline game is an error strewn mess and his movement leaves much to be wanted. Nadal too has lost footspeed, but retains his consistency off the ground and excellence on the pass
The two wouldn't meet again on clay for 6 years at the French Open semi-final in 2019 when....
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