Nadal beats Federer, wins 4th French Open

Paris: By the fourth game, Rafael Nadal had Roger Federer kicking the clay in frustration. By the second set, the normally stoic Federer was screaming at himself.
The drubbing went on from there. Nadal won his fourth consecutive French Open title in a rout on Sunday, again spoiling Federer's bid to complete a career Grand Slam.
Dominating the world's No 1 player with astounding ease, Nadal swept six consecutive games early in the match to take control and won 6-1, 6-3, 6-0.
It was a humbling defeat for Federer, but for the No 2-ranked Nadal, it was merely another in a series of dominating wins. He lost only 41 games in seven matches at this year's French Open.
The Spaniard became the second man to win four consecutive French Open titles. Bjorn Borg did it in 1978-81.
Nadal improved to 28-0 at Roland Garros, where he has won 84 of 91 sets. Only six-time champion Borg won more French Open men's titles.
It's the fourth consecutive year Federer arrived in Paris seeking to become the sixth man to win all four major titles. Each time he has lost to Nadal - in the semifinals in 2005, and in the final each of the past three years.

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Ivanovic crowned French Open champ, queen of clay

Paris: This time Ana Ivanovic was ready for the French Open final.
Showing no sign of the nerves that afflicted her a year ago, Ivanovic won her first Grand Slam title Saturday by beating Dinara Safina 6-4, 6-3.
By reaching the final, Ivanovic had already assured herself of being ranked No. 1 for the first time next week. And the Serb's performance was No. 1-calibre against Safina.

"I'm just so happy I kept my composure until the end," Ivanovic said during the trophy ceremony. "Last year's final was a great learning experience."
A shaky Ivanovic played in her first major at Roland Garros in 2007 and won only three games from Justine Henin. But against Safina she was as cool as the weather, showing hardly a bead of perspiration even as she sprinted from corner to corner retrieving shots.

The 20-year-old Ivanovic slugged winners from both sides, feasted on Safina's sometimes shaky serve and scurried to extend points, which led to plenty of entertaining rallies. Ivanovic won most of them, including one frantic exchange that she finished off with a delicate drop shot and ferocious fist pump.
Ivanovic won match point with a backhand up the line, then dropped her racket, collapsed into a crouch and covered her face. After blowing kisses to the crowd, she used a chair to climb into the stands and share hugs with family and friends.
"I tried to call them to help me to come up, but they were hugging each other," Ivanovic said with a laugh. "I was like, 'Hey, what about me?' ...
"I feel so happy. I have no words to describe that. Winning a Grand Slam is something I dreamed since I was a little kid, so achieving that goal is very thrilling."


Henin, a four-time French Open champion who retired last month while ranked No. 1, watched the final from the front row and presented Ivanovic with the trophy. Ivanovic said she noticed Henin before the match.
"Seeing her today in the crowd, it made me feel really, really good," Ivanovic said. "I thought, 'Maybe I can be like her _ I can win a title."'

Thanks to http://ibnlive.com/