Post by bourney92 on Jun 5, 2005 12:48:26 GMT -5
Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal produced a storming performance to beat Mariano Puerta in four sets to win the French Open title at the first time of asking.
The 19-year-old battled back after losing the first set on a tiebreak to record a 6-7 6-3 6-1 7-5 success in a hugely entertaining final and become the first player since Mats Wilander in 1982 to win the Championship on debut.
Nadal has enjoyed a blistering clay court season and was hotly tipped to take the title after winning three consecutive tournaments and 17 straight matches.
His superb dismantling of world number one Roger Federer in the semi-finals underlined his status as the master of this surface and took him through to his first Grand Slam final.
Yet he recognised that Puerta, a powerful left-hander from Argentina, would be a tough opponent and so it proved in a thrilling contest.
Nadal made the perfect start, breaking in the first game, and he looked set to add a further break for 4-1 when Puerta called for the trainer at 15-40 for treatment to his right thigh.
That brief respite brought the 26-year-old back to life and he hit back to hold serve and then broke Nadal in the next game.
The remainder of the set went with serve until Puerta took it in a remarkable tiebreak, which saw eight consecutive points go to the receiver courtesy of a succession of outrageous winners and exquisite drop shots.
Puerta's enormous power and never-say-die spirit had enabled him keep pace with Nadal, who chased down every point and covered every inch of the Philippe Chatrier Court.
Yet the Argentine, who has clawed his way back into the world's top 50 after slumping to 440 in the rankings following a nine-month drugs ban, could not maintain the same level of play in the second set.
Nadal broke in the fourth game and that was enough for him to level the match. He then dominated the third set, breaking Puerta three times to take it easily 6-1.
Anyone who then thought that Nadal would run away with it was reckoning without Puerta's amazing powers of recovery.
Two-sets-to-one down in each of his last two matches against Guillermo Canas and Nikolay Davydenko, he has dug deep into his energy reserves and hit back to win 3-2 each time.
In keeping with that trend, he broke the Nadal serve in the opening game of the fourth set, but he was unable to consolidate as an aggressive Nadal levelled immediately.
Nadal then held serve for a 2-1 lead and the crowd rallied behind Puerta as he made a huge effort to stay in the match. Finding the corners with immense forehands, he held to love to square it up again.
With his first serve percentage up at 80 per cent in each set, Nadal always had the upper hand, and his brilliant use of the drop shot on each side won him a series of points and sapped Puerta's energy.
Nadal held for 3-2 before Puerta recovered from 0-30 to peg him back. The Argentinian then saw a determined Nadal save three consecutive break points to win the seventh game.
Both men were playing outstanding tennis and Puerta proved his composure by coming back to hold to love, somehow getting a volley into court after Nadal had driven a forehand right into his body at the net.
Puerta upped the tempo and went on the attack and got his reward with a break in the ninth game which left him serving for the set.
Yet still there was another twist to come as Nadal saved two consecutive set points, the second by winning a wonderful exchange of volleys at the net as Puerta, diving Boris Becker-style, could only hit the tape.
Puerta then squandered a third chance to win the set before Nadal beat him again in another incredible rally at the net.
Nadal's relentless running helped him to hold for a 6-5 lead and force Puerta to serve to stay in the match.
The Spaniard then produced two breathtaking winners to earn Championship point, and he won it when Puerta went wide with a forehand. .
The 19-year-old battled back after losing the first set on a tiebreak to record a 6-7 6-3 6-1 7-5 success in a hugely entertaining final and become the first player since Mats Wilander in 1982 to win the Championship on debut.
Nadal has enjoyed a blistering clay court season and was hotly tipped to take the title after winning three consecutive tournaments and 17 straight matches.
His superb dismantling of world number one Roger Federer in the semi-finals underlined his status as the master of this surface and took him through to his first Grand Slam final.
Yet he recognised that Puerta, a powerful left-hander from Argentina, would be a tough opponent and so it proved in a thrilling contest.
Nadal made the perfect start, breaking in the first game, and he looked set to add a further break for 4-1 when Puerta called for the trainer at 15-40 for treatment to his right thigh.
That brief respite brought the 26-year-old back to life and he hit back to hold serve and then broke Nadal in the next game.
The remainder of the set went with serve until Puerta took it in a remarkable tiebreak, which saw eight consecutive points go to the receiver courtesy of a succession of outrageous winners and exquisite drop shots.
Puerta's enormous power and never-say-die spirit had enabled him keep pace with Nadal, who chased down every point and covered every inch of the Philippe Chatrier Court.
Yet the Argentine, who has clawed his way back into the world's top 50 after slumping to 440 in the rankings following a nine-month drugs ban, could not maintain the same level of play in the second set.
Nadal broke in the fourth game and that was enough for him to level the match. He then dominated the third set, breaking Puerta three times to take it easily 6-1.
Anyone who then thought that Nadal would run away with it was reckoning without Puerta's amazing powers of recovery.
Two-sets-to-one down in each of his last two matches against Guillermo Canas and Nikolay Davydenko, he has dug deep into his energy reserves and hit back to win 3-2 each time.
In keeping with that trend, he broke the Nadal serve in the opening game of the fourth set, but he was unable to consolidate as an aggressive Nadal levelled immediately.
Nadal then held serve for a 2-1 lead and the crowd rallied behind Puerta as he made a huge effort to stay in the match. Finding the corners with immense forehands, he held to love to square it up again.
With his first serve percentage up at 80 per cent in each set, Nadal always had the upper hand, and his brilliant use of the drop shot on each side won him a series of points and sapped Puerta's energy.
Nadal held for 3-2 before Puerta recovered from 0-30 to peg him back. The Argentinian then saw a determined Nadal save three consecutive break points to win the seventh game.
Both men were playing outstanding tennis and Puerta proved his composure by coming back to hold to love, somehow getting a volley into court after Nadal had driven a forehand right into his body at the net.
Puerta upped the tempo and went on the attack and got his reward with a break in the ninth game which left him serving for the set.
Yet still there was another twist to come as Nadal saved two consecutive set points, the second by winning a wonderful exchange of volleys at the net as Puerta, diving Boris Becker-style, could only hit the tape.
Puerta then squandered a third chance to win the set before Nadal beat him again in another incredible rally at the net.
Nadal's relentless running helped him to hold for a 6-5 lead and force Puerta to serve to stay in the match.
The Spaniard then produced two breathtaking winners to earn Championship point, and he won it when Puerta went wide with a forehand. .