Switzerland's Roger Federer celebrates after defeating Spain's Rafael Nadal in the finals of the Hamburg Masters Tennis tournament yesterday. - Reuters

HAMBURG (Reuters):

Roger Federer brought an end to Rafael Nadal's 81-match winning streak on clay yesterday, beating the Spaniard 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 to win the final of the Hamburg Masters and give his French Open preparations the perfect boost.

The world number one, who had never before beaten the Spaniard on his favourite surface, looked to be in line for his usual humbling in the red dirt as Nadal punished his early mistakes in brutal style to take the first set with a couple of breaks.

Federer hit back for an early break in the second, though, and stormed through the final set to seal his first title in five tournaments, so ending his worst slump since he became number one in February 2004.

Nadal had won 13 consecutive clay-court titles, including the last two French Opens, during a winning run dating back to April 2005. The last man to beat him had been the Russian Igor Andreev in the quarter-finals inValencia that year.

"If I had to lose to anyone, Roger is the man," Nadal said out on court. "I congratulate him on a great tournament and wish him luck for the French."

Needs Roland Garros title

Federer, who has never won the French Open, needs to take the Roland Garros title to become only the third man after American Don Budge and Australian Rod Laver to hold all four majors at the same time.

He will take great heart from a victory that gave him his fourth Hamburg Masters title.

"It's great to play here again and win again," Federer said. "I've fallen in love with this tournament.

"Winning 81 matches is an amazing streak," Federer said of his opponent. "I have a lot of respect for him."

Nadal shrugged off his defeat, saying he would just start again from scratch at the French Open.

"I'm going to start another run," the Spanish world number two said. "I don't know if I'll get it up to 81 but that doesn't worry me."

After losing to Federer he challenged his rivals to get anywhere near it.

"If anyone wants to try, the record is there at 81," he said with a smile. "That's a lot of matches. It's going to be hard to beat."