- Rafael Nadal equalled Guillermo Vilas' record of 49 career clay-court titles
- Nadal overcame defending champion Kei Nishikori in Barcelona Open
- Spaniard claimed 69th career title as is finding form ahead of French Open
Rafael
Nadal beat defending champion Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-5 to win the
Barcelona Open for the ninth time on Sunday, equaling Guillermo Vilas'
record of 49 career clay-court titles.
Nadal
added this title to his trophy from Monte Carlo last week as the
14-time Grand Slam winner regains form on his favorite surface ahead of
next month's French Open.
Nishikori had won the tournament for the last two years after early exits by Nadal.
Rafael Nadal beat defending champion Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-5 to win the Barcelona Open for the ninth time |
Nadal added to his trophy from Monte Carlo as the 14-time Grand Slam winner continues to regain form |
In
an entertaining clash of the two top-seeded players, Nadal proved more
decisive under pressure, saving seven of eight break chances in the
first set while converting the two chances he got.
The
Spaniard then bettered second-seeded Nishikori through several superb
rallies in a back-and-forth second set to win key points and claim his
69th career title in his 101st final.
'I was playing against the No. 6 player in the world, and if you don't play at your best you aren't going to win,' Nadal said.
'I
served well and that allowed me to play better. In the second set I
missed several chances, and at the end it was very close, but I stayed
mentally strong.'
shikori had won the tournament for the last two years after early exits by Nadal but he was second best |
Nadal slides across the court to return a forehand against his opponent in the straight-sets victory |
After
losing to Fabio Fognini in the round of 16 last year, Nadal blamed his
poor forehand. A year later, all Nadal's power was back on display,
driving forehand strokes past Nishikori when it really mattered.
Playing near their best, both top-10 players never let the other settle in while serving.
Level at 3-3 in the first set, Nishikori had three break points, but Nadal saved them all by winning five straight points.
Nadal earned a second break to claim the first set when the Spaniard won with a shot which clipped the top of the net.
Nishikori immediately responded by rallying from 0-40 down to break Nadal's first service game of the second set.
The in-form Spaniard celebrates after equaling Guillermo Vilas' record of 49 career clay-court titles
|
Nishikori slumps in his seat after falling to defend his title for the third consecutive year in Spain |
Nadal
answered with a hard-fought game - which included two superb rallies
won by the home favorite at the net - to recover the break.
Nishikori
got back in the match after Nadal misjudged a ball that he thought was
going wide when he could have smashed it. The ball fell in, and
Nishikori broke Nadal with an unreachable drop shot for 4-3.
Nishikori
then landed another risky drop shot to save a championship point and
make it 5-5, but Nadal claimed victory two games later when the Japanese
sent the ball into the net.
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