Nadal exposes Federer's faulty forehand

TENNIS:IN A couple of those courtside television interviews that seem frivolous at the time, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were asked separately at the start of this Australian Open what part of the other's game they would like to have for their own. Each said the forehand. Nadal might like to rethink that one.

On Rod Laver Arena, the shot the Swiss has used for most of his 14 years on the Tour to master nearly everyone malfunctioned at enough key moments to allow Nadal to beat him for the 18th time in 27 and advance to Sunday’s final against the winner of today’s semi-final between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic.

Nadal won 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 in three hours and 42 minutes. The more intriguing statistics were these: Federer, in trying to break down the Spaniard’s phenomenal retrieving, hit 63 unforced errors, of which 36 were on his fabled forehand.

They have met a record eight times in slam finals and while this semi was not in the same class as some of those, it was rich enough in drama to be worthy of a title-decider. When Federer lost faith in his forehand, he went to the net; when he went to the net, quite often Nadal passed him. Nadal, meanwhile, would not trust his backhand and sometimes left too much acreage to cover by running around his forehand (of his 34 unforced errors, 19 came on the backhand). It made for an enthralling duel.

Federer won the first three games of the match and looked as serene as he had done all tournament, going on to take the first set in a tie-break. Nadal, head down, right knee strapped, gasped for inspiration. He found it from an unusual source.

When they hit the pause button to let Melbourne celebrate Australia Day with the nation’s ingrained fireworks fetish, Federer, at the time trailing Nadal 5-2 in the second set, might have been grateful. Nadal was coming at him like a wounded bull. The calmest man in tennis could do with calming things down. But then the fireworks resumed – on court. The Spaniard exploded as only he can and blasted Federer to nil to take the set.

Nadal had Federer at 0-40 at the start of the third, but could not convert. They went back on even terms until Federer grabbed a break point at 3-3 and, to the amazement of the packed arena, screamed and pumped in the most un-Federer-like way.

Nadal was tight in the deuce battle. He served his first double fault and dropped serve when the backhand he does not fully trust hit the net halfway down.

It was up to Nadal to reignite his fightback; Federer helped him with his fifth double fault in the eighth game and the world number two got two break points back with another startling cross-court winner. Federer, normally so commanding when in front, buckled again, his running forehand failing to clear the chord.

They got to a second tie-break. Heartbeats raced, on court and in the seats. Nadal, reining in his passion, played conservatively. Federer, desperate, saved two set points on his opponent’s serve to get to 3-6, then 4-6. Nadal, serving for the set, forced yet another limp forehand reply from Federer and, after two hours and 47 minutes, was a set away from the final.

Federer saved four break points in the ninth game but could not manage a fifth, this time a backhand straying wide – and Nadal served for the match.

That game reads like a microcosm of this curious match. Federer nets a forehand: 15-0 Nadal; he dinks a drop shot: 15-15; a forehand goes long: 30-15; now Nadal pushes a forehand wide: 30-all; Federer’s backhand return goes long: 40-30 and match point; Nadal’s crosscourt backhand is just wide: deuce; Nadal runs around his forehand and hits long: advantage Federer; Federer’s round-arm sliced forehand, under no pressure, goes long and wide: deuce; Nadal nets a backhand: advantage Federer, second break point; Federer backhand return to wide serve hits net: third deuce; Federer backhand from deep is way out: advantage Nadal and second match point; Federer hits his 36th unforced error and Nadal is in the final.