Rafael Nadal has won a gold medal in Olympic tennis by beating Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-3 in the final of men’s singles.

Nadal overcame two set points in the second set and held every service game Sunday.

The gold medal was the first ever for Spain in Olympic tennis.

Nadal was already assured of taking over the No. 1 ranking Monday for the first time, ending Roger Federer’s reign after 4 1/2 years. Nadal has won 38 of his past 39 matches, including victories over Federer in the finals at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Men’s singles has traditionally been an upset-filled event at the Olympics, and Nadal is the first player ranked in the top five to win the gold.

As im a pker in runescape game and i make cash only by pking, jagex took old wilderness saying to stop rwt. But jagex has come with this yesteday

“

The most frequent request we have received over the last few months has been to put more PvP back into the game. We want to let you know that this request hasn’t gone unheard, and that we’ve put a lot of research into how we can introduce new PvP mechanisms. The aim is for PvP content that better replaces the old Wilderness, but without reintroducing RWT.

Hopefully, you’re already aware of the imminent Clan Wars release (see the September Behind the Scenes in a couple of weeks for more information), but there are also plans afoot for the most exciting and “old school” PvP update we have ever considered – unique PvP worlds.

As many of our long term players know, in the old RuneScape Classic days you could actually fight players just outside the gates of Lumbridge, before the days of duelling and even before the days of the old Wilderness itself. Players could hunt each other down, chasing them away from favourite resource points and generally “owning” large areas of the map.

So, in 2008, we will be bringing you special ‘PvP worlds’, where you can fight other players almost anywhere! In addition to all the usual content you might expect to find in RuneScape, they will also include:

• Optional sign-up – choose between PvP danger or stick to ordinary play by simply switching worlds.
• High danger with items dropped on death.
• High rewards for kills. To avoid any RWT issues the reward for a successful PK will be generated by the game, similar to when you kill a monster at the moment. We’re creating generous drop tables based on factors like your levels and the impressiveness of the kill.
• These drop tables will include “PvP world specific” items like XP-modifying gear, lvl 70+ equipment and new, glorious, short-term but hard hitting gear. These will once again make PKing a viable source of income.
• PvP across 99% of the world, including the old Wilderness.
• Attack any player within a certain level of your own. Level range depends on the area, similar to the old Wilderness levels.
• …And all sorts of other twists on interesting content… Just think of the possibilities when you can PK anywhere!

Naturally, we also have other PvP-orientated content, like Stealing Creation (a resource control game where skillers and PKers work together, creating equipment and beating up the opposition) and Mobilising Armies (a real-time strategy game where you use your hard made bows, swords, etc. to equip your own armies in 4-player battles). “

source: Jagex

Roger Federer took out his frustrations on the doubles court as he claimed Olympic gold with partner Stanislas Wawrinka on Saturday.

The Swiss ace and world number 10 Wawrinka pummelled Sweden’s Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 as Federer claimed his first Olympic medal in three attempts.

Federer, who loses his number one ranking on Monday and was upset in the singles by James Blake, was vigorously pumped up for the final and roared in Swiss German at every important point.

The Swedes had won a record 59-game marathon in the semis and they did not come to life until the third set. The Swiss immediately broke back but wilted in the tense tie-break as Wawrinka netted on the second set point.

But the decisive break came at 2-1 on Aspelin’s serve. With Federer serving for the match, Johansson hit a return wide sparking delirious scenes between the Swiss pair who hugged and cavorted on the floor.

Earlier Novak Djokovic claimed Serbia’s first ever tennis medal while the giant-killing run of China’s Li Na came shuddering to a halt.

Djokovic won a slug-fest with US number one James Blake 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to clinch men’s singles bronze, compensating for his disappointing semi-final loss to Rafael Nadal.

“To win any medal in the Olympics is a huge achievement for any athlete. Not many athletes get a chance to win a medal,” Djokovic said.

“But for me, this bronze shines like a gold because I think I’ve played pretty good tennis all the tournament.”

Dinara Safina ousted Li 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 to set up an all-Russian final with 2000 silver-medallist Elena Dementieva, who beat compatriot Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).

The results guarantee the dominant Russians their first women’s tennis gold to follow Yevgeny Kafelnikov’s Sydney 2000 triumph for the men.

Highly decorated US twins Bob and Mike Bryan, the top seeds, clinched their first Olympic honour 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 against France’s Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra in the men’s doubles bronze medal play-off.

Sydney 2000 champions Venus and Serena Williams reached the women’s doubles final by beating Ukraine’s Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the only all-sister match-up in Olympic history.

They will face Spanish duo Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual, who ended Chinese hopes of a second successive doubles gold by beating Yan Zi and Zheng Jie 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).