Nadal deals Barcelona 'poker' with fourth straight title

Tennis News

May 4, 2008, 19:05 GMT

Barcelona - Rafael Nadal recovered to win a fourth straight title at the Barcelona Open on Sunday, beating David Ferrer 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. The clash between the top two seeds marked the third all-Spanish final in four years at the real club. Ferrer gave Nadal his toughest test of the week, taking a set off of the three-time French Open winner, the first that Nadal has lost this spring on clay. Nadal has now beaten countrymen for three of his four Catalan titles and stands 21-1 at the event after his only loss in 2003 against Alex Corretja. Nadal improved to 6-3 over Ferrero, whom he beat with ease a week ago in the Monte Carlo quarter-finals. 'I'm pleased to have won in Barcelona again,' said Nadal, with 103 wins in his last 104 clay matches. 'I played the first set nearly perfectly, but he played very strong in the second set,' said Nadal after claiming a 25th ATP title. Spain's dominating clay ace has now successfully backed up his second title in as many weeks on the surface after beating Roger Federer last weekend to win a fourth straight at Monte Carlo. The challenge will resume again from Monday when the world number two goes to Rome to defend his run of three straight trophies at the Foro Italico. Nadal began against Ferrer in storming style, collecting the first set in an effortless 31 minutes. But the momentum shifted in the second as Ferrer, known as a baseline battler of the first order, started with a break and held off a furious charge from Nadal as the top seed saved four break points in the seventh game and then broke back for 4-4. But Ferrer earned another break before serving out to level the finely poised contest. Nadal, who led the ATP with 31 wins heading into the final, seized the final set with an early break and rode his momentum to victory.

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Nadal deals Barcelona 'poker' with fourth straight title

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