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TORONTO: Rafael Nadal took another huge step closer
to dethroning Roger Federer as world No. 1 with a 6-3, 6-2 victory
over Nicolas Kiefer in the Toronto Masters final on Sunday.
With his 29th consecutive
victory—his last loss came in Rome in May in the second round to
Juan Carlos Ferrero—the Spanish world No. 2 has climbed to within
300 points of Federer, who crashed out in his opening match.
The Spanish phenomenon has now
claimed 30 career titles, making him third youngest in the game
after Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors to achieve the mark.
“I’ll think about the record
when my career is over,” said the 22-year-old. “Right now, my
most important goal was to win Toronto.”
Nadal’s victory marked his
second trophy in Canada after taking the title in Montreal three
years ago. He has now won his last five events, including Queen’s
and Wimbledon on grass.
The ranking race will tighten
next week in Cincinnati, where Federer has been training since his
mid-week upset loss here to Frenchman Gilles Simon, whom Kiefer put
out in the semifinals.
Federer has held the top spot for
more than four years but could be deposed in Cincinnati if he were
to lose his opening match and Nadal was to lift the trophy,
according to Association of Tennis Professionals calculations.
Nadal’s victory, his 12th
Masters triumph, was his 30th from 38 finals and came in the wake of
his fourth Roland Garros and first Wimbledon title this year.
Nadal has now won seven titles
this season and has racked up 61 match wins against just seven
losses.
--AFP
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