Doha Time
 
Hamburg, May 20: Rafael Nadal warmed-up for his French Open title defence in style when he dethroned Roger Federer as Hamburg Masters champion winning the final 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3 here yesterday.

In a rematch of the 2007 title clash, which was won by Federer, triple Roland Garros champion Nadal showed a determined fighting spirit with a superb array of shots to claim victory after 2 hours 52 minutes.

“It wasn’t my best performance,” said Federer, who has 12 Grand Slam titles, but is yet to win the French Open which starts on May 25.

“To be broken that many times (six) means there is always something you are unhappy about, but from the baseline I am playing the right type of game.

“I could have served better at the important stages and gone on the attack more maybe and played a bit more solidly, but I enjoyed the match.

“I wish I could have won today, that would have given me an even better feeling for Roland Garros, but I am feeling well.

“The three hours wasn’t a problem and from the physical stand point I feel good,” added the world number one who had raced into a 5-1 lead in the first set.

It was the Spaniard’s tenth win over Federer - his eighth on clay. It also ended the Swiss world number one’s 41-match unbeaten run on German soil.

Since Federer’s previous defeat in Germany - to Mark Philippoussis here in 2003 - he had won seven straight German tournaments: three in Hamburg on clay and four in Halle on grass. It left Nadal with 108 wins on clay from 110 matches since April 2005 and reinforced his position as the overwhelming favourite to win a fourth consecutive Roland Garros and where he is unbeaten after 21 matches.

The pair had contrasting fortunes coming into the final.

Having not dropped a set all tournament, Federer needed just over an hour to see off unseeded Italian Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-1 in Saturday’s semi-final.