Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal, Miami Open 2017 final: Federer seals the Sunshine Double with straight-sets win

Relive Federer's straight sets win in the 2017 Miami Open final

Federer celebrates his third Miami Open title (Getty)

Roger Federer continued his recent mastery of Rafa Nadal when he beat his great rival 6-3 6-4 in the final of the Miami Open on Sunday.

Federer, peerless this year after returning from a six-month injury absence, broke once in each set on the Crandon Park hardcourt for his fourth consecutive victory over the Spaniard.

Nadal still leads their career head-to-head record at 23-14, due entirely to his superiority on clay, but Federer now leads 10-9 on hardcourt.

Federer improved to 19-1 this year, winning the Australian Open in five sets over Nadal, and Paribas Open in straight sets over Stan Wawrinka.

His only loss was at the hands of Russian Evgeny Donskoy in the second round in Dubai.

Relive all of the action below...

What time is it?

Federer and Nadal will meet in the final of the Miami Open on Sunday 2 April.

The players are due on court shortly after 6pm.

Where can I watch it?

Sky Sports 3 will be showing live coverage of the eagerly-awaited match, with their programme beginning at 6pm.

Federer won when the pair met in the final of the Australian Open (Getty)

How did the two men reach the final?

Roger Federer needed more than three hours to outlast Kyrgios 7-6(9) 6-7(9) 7-6(5) in a pulsating Miami Open semi-final on Friday to set up another mouthwatering final clash with Nadal.

The Swiss, who has won two of his last three tournaments including the Australian Open, had to dig deep to get through a second straight test after fending off a match point in his quarter-final victory over Tomas Berdych.

In the third round Federer beat Roberto Bautista Agut in straight sets, while he comfortably saw off Juan Martín del Potro in the third round in an impressive performance. The young American Frances Tiafoe was safely dispatched in the first match.

Federer made light work of the vociferously supported Del Potro (Getty)

Nadal, who lost all four of his previous Miami Open finals, will be out to snap a run of three straight defeats against Federer, including in the Melbourne final and at Indian Wells.

The Spaniard has enjoyed a far smoother route to the final. He beat both Fabio Fognini and Jack Sock in straight sets, in the semi-finals and quarter-finals respectively.

The veteran Nicolas Mahut was swept aside in the fourth round, with Nadal recovering from a slight blip against Philipp Kohlschreiber – he was bagelled in the first set – to win in three. Dudi Sela was seen off with little trouble in the second.

What are they saying?

Roger Federer: "It's great winning this way, especially of course I remember the loss against him few years ago.

"I know I can't always show my fighting skills because everything else sort of takes over."

Rafa Nadal: "Winning here would be something great, and an important title I haven't won. I served well (today). That gives you calm when you have opportunities on the return."

Head to head record:

Overall:

P36. Roger Federer 13-23 Rafael Nadal.

Last five:

2017 Indian Wells Masters, hard-outdoor, R16, Federer, 6-2, 6-3.
2017 Australian Open, hard-outdoor, F, Federer, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
2015 Basel, hard-indoor, F, Federer, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
2014 Australian Open, hard-outdoor, SF, Nadal, 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-3.
2013 Tour Championship-London, hard-indoor, SF, Nadal, 7-5, 6-3.

Further reading:

• Federer's Indian summer continues apace with third Sunshine Double in sight
• Federer comes through epic clash with Kyrgios to set up Nadal final
• Nadal reaches Miami Open final with routine victory over Fognini
• Konta the model of consistency as she steals the show in Miami
• Konta targets world number one ranking after winning in Miami

Odds:

Federer to win: 7/10
​Nadal to win: 15/13

[2 April 2017 19:54 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

This marks the third time Federer has beaten Nadal this season, the first time Federer has won the Miami Open since 2006 and the third time he was won at Indian Wells and Key Biscayne in the same year.

What. A. Man.

[2 April 2017 19:55 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Time for the trophy presentations, and for a quick word with the two finalists.

[2 April 2017 19:57 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Here's Rafa Nadal:

Well done to Roger, I am very happy for him.

I just want to say thank you to everybody here, it's been a good two weeks for me in Miami. It's been a good start to the season and it's disappointing for me to always be in this position here with the smaller trophy...

I'm going to keep trying hard over the next couple of years and hopefully I won't have to wait three years again to fight for the title.

[2 April 2017 20:01 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

And here's big Roger:

Congratulations to Rafa on a great comeback and I'm so happy we're playing together. I always enjoy playing against Rafa and I haven't always enjoyed our matches but we've had some great battles. I told him once before he would win this tournament and I still believe that, of course.

Also congratulations to everybody in Rafa's team and I'm sure he will tear the clay court season apart.

Thank you to all the fans, playing in Miami is always very special. I've been coming here a long, long time so thank you to all the organisers for taking care of us. 

It really is a beautiful stop on the tour. I would also like to thank all of my team, especially for sticking with me in some of my more difficult times. I'll see everybody very soon. 

[2 April 2017 20:02 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

[2 April 2017 20:06 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

This is great, the winning moment for Federer:

And Great Britain's Fed Cup captain is certainly impressed with what she's just witnessed:

[2 April 2017 20:09 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Roger Federer is now closing down on Ivan Lendl's number of Open Era titles...

109: Jimmy Connors

94: Ivan Lendl

91: Roger Federer

77: John McEnroe

69: Rafa Nadal

Is it too late for Roger to catch up with the great Jimmy Connors, too? Never say never... 

[2 April 2017 20:16 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

This stat shows just how much Djokovic has dominated in recent years:

This is the first time since 2013 that Djokovic hasn't won in Miami and the first time that Federer has won here since 2006, when he beat Ivan Ljubičić (anybody remember him?) in three sets.

This is meanwhile the fifth time that Nadal has finished as runner-up. He lost to Federer in 2005, Nikolay Davydenko in 2008 and Novak Djokovic in 2011 and 2014.

[2 April 2017 20:21 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Can Roger Federer win Wimbledon for the eighth time?!

The big man himself certainly seems to think so.

In the form he's been in recently, you certainly wouldn't bet against him. And would you bet against Nadal at Roland-Garros? The Spaniard is yet to get the better of Federer this season but is, of course, imperious on the clay. He'll certainly be hopeful of a tenth title in France.

[2 April 2017 20:26 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Here's our full report from that fantastic final: