Nadal grounds Federer into the dirt in Monte Carlo Masters final

The world No 1 led 4-0 in the second set of this first meeting of the pair this year, but still he could not subdue Nadal, who looks like he will be haunting every field as the ATP Tour winds its way to Paris and the French Open later on next month.

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It was the seventh time in eight meetings that Federer had lost to the 21-year-old Spaniard on clay and even some stunning bursts were not enough to give him the belief to stay ahead.

"He played great but I have to be happy with my tournament, especially as I could have lost in the first round," said Federer, who in his opener trailed 5-1 in the deciding set to low-ranking Spaniard Ramon Ramirez Hidalgo. "I know I can beat Rafa if I play the right way and I didn't have that feeling when I played here last year. I'm healthy and moving well."

After this first Masters series event of the European season, the natural order in men's tennis appears to be intact, but Federer was justified in finding consolations in his last fortnight.

He won the lesser Estoril title the previous Sunday and beat David Nalbandian and Novak Djokovic before taking on Nadal, who still seems a challenge too far.

Federer, who has begun working with top clay court coach Jose Higueras, was broken in the final game of each set, handing Nadal his fourth consecutive Monte Carlo title. Nadal now leads their overall personal rivalry 9-6.

Although there will be fears that he might exhaust himself, Nadal now heads to the Barcelona Open, where Andy Murray will be in the field, as part of a run of four straight tournaments.

British No 1 Murray has made a late entry into the event staged in a city where he spent time as a teenager. After a first-round bye, he could meet Croatia's Mario Ancic, who beat him earlier this month in Miami.

One player who will give the tournament a miss is Djokovic, who becomes the latest in a long line by telling the BBC's Inside Sport programme tonight that he considers British players to be 'spoiled' and to have it too easy.

The world No 4 might be right about some of them, but it is a bit rich coming from someone who only a few years ago was thinking of moving lock, stock and barrel from Serbia to the UK to take advantage of the Lawn Tennis Association's largesse.