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Federer extends Wimbledon final

Sun 6th, July 2008

Wimbledon, England (Sports Network) - Roger Federer's reign at Wimbledon is not yet over, as the five-time champion won a tiebreaker in the third set against Rafael Nadal to extend Sunday's final at the All England Club.

Nadal won the first two sets by identical 6-4 scores, but Federer captured the third-set tiebreaker 7-5 to send the match to a fourth set.

After Nadal rallied from a 1-4 deficit to win the second set, he needed treatment for what appeared to be a knee injury following the third game of the third set. Nadal then nearly had his serve broken. Federer gained a pair of break points, but Nadal hit a forehand winner to save the first then made a brilliant visual call on the next.

Federer hit a deep forehand that was ruled in and Nadal hit the return shot before stopping play to challenge the call. The ball was just long and Nadal went on to hold serve for 2-2.

Again Federer earned a pair of break points on Nadal's next service game, but squandered both -- the second on a second serve. Federer then missed a running forehand volley on his third break-point chance of the game and set up still another break chance with a blistering forehand down the line, but again blew it by netting a backhand on a second serve.

Nadal eventually held again for 3-3, then blew his own chance to break in the next game after winning the first three points. Federer regrouped and held serve.

With Federer ahead 5-4 in the third set, a lengthy rain delay ensued. Once play resumed, the set remained on serve and went to a tiebreaker.

Nadal opened a 2-1 lead, but Federer surged ahead by winning the next four points -- the last with a forehand winner for a 5-2 edge. It was 6-3 before Nadal won the next two points on his serve, but Federer closed out the set with an ace.

Rain also delayed the start of play for about 30 minutes.

Nadal gained a quick break of serve in the third game when Federer managed to put only one first serve into play. Federer, though, nearly broke right back. After falling behind 0-40, he rallied for a break point and hit a forehand long. Nadal eventually held serve to validate the break.

Each player held serve the rest of the way, although Nadal had trouble closing it out.

Federer had a couple of break chances in the 10th game, but failed to convert. After a perfect volley set up the first, he missed a backhand volley long. A backhand into the net on a second serve cost him another chance before Nadal finally held to win the set.

A sensational passing shot in the second game of the second set finally gave Federer a break of serve on the way to a 4-1 lead, but Nadal reeled off the next five games.

The momentum change came in the seventh game when Federer hit a forehand wide to set up a break point for Nadal, who converted when Federer rushed to the net and couldn't handle a Nadal passing shot.

Federer then had a chance to break right back in the next game, but sent a return of serve into the net and Nadal held to square the set at 4-4. Nadal then won the first three points of the ninth game and soon after hit a forehand winner to break serve again for 5-4.

Nadal blew a set point in the 10th game and a wind-forced error set up a break point for Federer, who netted a backhand. Nadal then gained another set point and Federer drilled another backhand into the net to give the Spaniard the commanding advantage.

Federer is trying for his sixth straight Wimbledon crown, while Nadal is trying for his first. Federer beat Nadal in each of the last two Wimbledon title matches.

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