• ATP Western & Southern Open

Nadal continues to get the better of Federer

ESPN staff
August 16, 2013
Rafa Nadal celebrates his three-set win over Roger Federer © AP
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The vintage rematch ended with Rafael Nadal pumping his arms after a final forehand. He was a little bit better than old nemesis Roger Federer once again and advanced to the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win. It was his third win in as many meetings in 2013.

"Always the emotion's out there when we play each other," Nadal, who will meet Tomas Berdych in the last four, said.

Federer hoped that his week in Cincinnati, where he has won five times, would help him repair his game after a troubling few months. As the week went along, his game got noticeably better, leaving him optimistic about the US Open.

"I can definitely take more things away from this week than I could for the last sort of three months," Federer said. "So I'm happy about that. That sets it up nicely for me for New York, I think."

Federer got the first break to go up 6-5 in the opening set and finished it off with a crosscourt backhand. Nadal got his first break of the match to win the second set. He broke Federer again in the second game of the third set to take control.

They moved each other around, hit the lines and lobbed over each other's heads, making one exquisite shot after another while bringing fans to their feet. Federer fought off four match points before Nadal put it away.

"Could have won tonight, should have won tonight, who knows?" Federer said. "But at the end, I think Rafa's confidence and the way he's playing at the moment got him through."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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