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BARCELONA, Spain: Rafael Nadal needed a rally after
losing his only set so far of the clay season, overcoming David
Ferrer 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 to lift a fourth straight Barcelona Open title
on Sunday.
The tight victory in two hours,
14 minutes sends Spain’s king of clay halfway down the road to
duplicating a four-event winning streak from a year ago on his
favorite surface.
“The first set I played almost
perfect, but he was very strong in the second set,” said Nadal
after claiming a 25th ATP title. “I’m pleased to have won in
Barcelona again.”
Seven days after defeating Roger
Federer to win Monte Carlo for a record-equaling fourth straight
year, the three-time Roland Garros champion followed up with a
popular home triumph in the Catalan capital.
Nadal improved his record at the
Real club to 21-1, his lone loss coming in 2003. The victory came in
his third all-Spanish final at the event, after beating Juan Carlos
Ferrero and Tommy Robredo in a pair of previous editions.
--AFP
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