After meeting once in 2004 and twice in 2005, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal stepped up their Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry with six matchups during the 2006 season. Nadal won the first four of those meetings – finals in Dubai, Monte-Carlo, Rome and Roland Garros – before Federer bounced back with wins in the Wimbledon final and in the semifinals of the Nitto ATP Finals, then known as the Tennis Masters Cup.
With a 6-4, 7-5 victory en route to the title in the season finale, Federer cemented his authority at the prestigious event with his third of the eventual six trophies at the event.
“These are matches I am waiting for, to beat the best who come after me,” Federer said after the semi-final victory.
With Nadal responsible for four of Federer’s five defeats in 2006, the win in Shanghai had extra significance for the Swiss, who finished the year with a record of 92-5 according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. The only other man to beat Federer that year was Andy Murray in Cincinnati. After that defeat, Federer ended the season on a 29-match winning streak.
Prior to their meeting in Shanghai, seven consecutive matchups between Federer and Nadal saw the losing player claim at least one set. Federer’s dominant performance in the Shanghai season finale ended that streak and put an exclamation point on one of the best seasons in ATP Tour history.
One of the best exchanges of the match came in the final point, when Federer hit a forehand winner after a hard drop shot from Nadal. The Swiss briefly fell to his knees in celebration, showing the magnitude of the moment.
“It was a good feeling, normally I only have that for finals,” said the Swiss. “I rarely end my matches this way, so it was fun.”
Federer went on to win the title with a 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 victory against James Blake in the final.
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