Nadal takes gold and Federer's top ranking

With Rafael Nadal set to become the world’s No. 1-ranked player on Monday, what better way to consolidate that standing than to sink his teeth into Olympic gold?

The Spaniard used his trademark combination of lightning-quick defense and muscular offense in a 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in Sunday’s final.

Nadal has been on a tear, winning five tournaments in a row earlier this year, from the clay court Masters Series event in Hamburg to the U.S. Open Series event in Toronto. Along the way, he became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to capture consecutive French Open and Wimbledon titles, defeating Roger Federer in both finals.

“I win on every surface,” Nadal said in Toronto. “I win on grass, on hard, on indoor, and on clay too. So if I am playing my best tennis I can win on every surface.”

Federer had held the top spot for 237 weeks but has struggled this year while Nadal has won eight titles.

The 22-year-old, who had been number two since 25 July 2005, beat the Swiss in the French Open and Wimbledon finals and added the Olympic title on Sunday.