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Nadal fights back to claim title
Beijing, 18 September 2005 - Spain’s teenaged superkid Rafael Nadal threw down another challenge to world number one rival Roger Federer on Sunday night with his 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 title victory over Guillermo Coria at the China Open.
The 19-year-old reigning French Open champion now stands level with the Swiss star with 10 titles this season.
Nadal, who raised his win-loss count to 72-10 for the year compared with 71-3 for Federer, was overwhelmed by his accomplishments this charmed season. “It’s been an unbelievable year, more than I could have ever imagined,” he said. “And winning today will be a big boost for my confidence.”
“I returned badly in the first set, but in the second and third I was more aggressive and that was decisive. My confidence is growing and I know I can win a lot of tournaments on hard courts.”
Nadal claimed his third victory in a final over Coria in the space of five months, starting with a win in Monte Carlo in mid-April and followed by success after more than five hours on the Rome clay.
He now stands 4-1 against the Argentinian, after losing to him only once two years ago, also in Monte Carlo. Ten of Nadal’s 11 titles have come this year; his lone defeat in a 2005 final was against Federer in Miami.
On Sunday night at the Beijing Tennis Centre, the Spaniard from Mallorca won his second straight hard court title after the Montreal Masters in August, where he beat Andre Agassi.
Against Coria, Nadal began slowly, dropping serve in the seventh game as Coria edged to 4-3. But the world number two put up a fighting comeback to break back to five-all as Coria saved three break points.
Nadal got into trouble again, facing a pair of break points and mis-hitting on the first as the Argentine moved into position. Coria won the set a game later as Nadal drove a backhand long.
But the Spanish teenager quickly put things right in a lightning second set that lasted for just over half an hour, breaking Coria twice to take the set 6-1 and breathe new life in his match.
Nadal took an early break in the final set and never looked back, winning in one hour, 56 minutes.
“It was a thrilling climax to a fantastic week of tennis,” said China Open tournament director Ekkehard Rathgeber. “Nadal is a worthy champion and has given the fans some wonderful entertainment.
“My thanks go to both players for the great tennis they have served up and we hope to see them both back in Beijing next year,” added Rathgeber, who is also Chief Operating Officer of tournament co-organiser TOM Group Limited, an associate of Hutchison Whampoa Limited.
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Released on behalf of TOM Group and the China Open by Two Up Front - Asia’s sports PR specialists.