Roger Federer Wins End Of Year Title At O2

Roger Federer ended the 2010 season in style as he saw off world number one Rafael Nadal to claim his fifth ATP World Tour Finals title.

Both Federer and Nadal went into the final unbeaten and were meeting for only the second time this year, Nadal winning in Madrid in the spring.

After a tough semi-final with Andy Murray on Saturday afternoon Nadal looked jaded in the opening set and Federer didn’t allow him to get any sort of rhythm.

After the first seven games went with serve it was Federer who struck first in the eighth as he broke through to lead 5-3, which left him serving for the set.

After just thirty two minutes Federer had the first set under his belt and it looked like the Spaniard had simply run out of steam.

But in typical Nadal fashion he battled back in the second set as Federer began to struggle on his serve. Nadal broke in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead.

With no problems on his serve Nadal, against the odds, levelled the match at a set a piece and it looked like we might have a match on our hands.

But sadly it didn’t quite live up to expectation as the Spaniard couldn’t keep up his level of intensity and began to look increasingly jaded.

Federer was 40-15 down in game four but battled back to break Nadal and take a 3-1 lead. And while Nadal did try and put pressure on the Federer serve in the very next game the Swiss player had all the answers and averted the danger.

Federer got the double break and sealed the victory 6-3 3-6 6-1 to win a fifth year end title. Despite the loss Nadal remains as the world number one after a fantastic season.

Speaking to the BBC Federer said: "It's fantastic, I'm really thrilled the way I played all week. To win a fifth time is obviously amazing, for the third time in a different place. Like I said before, it would be great to win in Houston, Shanghai and also now here in London.

"I'm just really happy the way I was able to finish the season in style, playing some of my best tennis, really saving the best for last.

“Obviously, beating Rafa in the final makes it extra special because of the year he had."

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw