Though it may not end up being any more meaningful than his win over Nadal in the Munich final two years ago, Roger Federer's 6-4, 6-4 victory over his Spanish rival had to be satisfying for a guy who hasn't won an event yet in 2009 and who has been owned by Nadal in their recent encounters. That said, Rafa made no secret this week of the difficulties he's been having controlling the ball in the Madrid altitude. He certainly looked flat in today's final. There was a moment when Federer served for the match at 5-4 in the second, went down 15-40, and it looked like one of those dramatic shifts Nadal has been able to summon in their past showdowns; the crowd seemed to be collectively waiting for Federer to collapse in a moment of slef-doubt once things got tight. But the Swiss player was tough when he needed to be. Yet I'll be very surprised if Federer is the one hoisting the Roland Garros trophy a few weeks from now.
