All he does is win. Rafael Nadal defeated Dominic Thiem 7-6(8), 6-4 in the Mutua Madrid Open final, moving to 15-0 on clay this season, with every aspect of his game operating like a well-oiled machine. Nadal's dominance was felt all over the court, but the following five areas were where he specifically created his separation. Long Rallies Overall, Nadal won nine more points than Thiem for the match (88 to 79). The Spaniard more than accounted for that margin just in the longer rallies of 10 shots or more, winning 12 more points (20-8) than Thiem in this specific area. The long rallies also served the purpose of fatiguing Thiem both physically and mentally, especially after such a grueling...
Nadal Is Appearing Untouchable Can anyone stop Rafael Nadal? The Spaniard picked up his fifth Mutua Madrid Open title and moved to 15-0 on the red dirt this year after prevailing in an epic final over Dominic Thiem. The victory also gives Nadal his 30th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, tying Novak Djokovic for the all-time lead. But what stands out most is Nadal’s dominance in recording these wins. The Spaniard has won 30 of 32 sets he’s played on clay this year and recorded straight-sets wins against everyone he’s faced inside the Top 20 of the Emirates ATP Rankings. Major roadblocks including Djokovic, Thiem and David Goffin were swiftly brushed aside. Currently at the top of the Emirates...
Watch highlights of Rafael Nadal beating Dominic Thiem to win his fifth Mutua Madrid Open title. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com. Getty Images photo.
Can anyone stop Rafael Nadal on clay this season? The Spaniard was as relentless as ever on Sunday, answering everything Dominic Thiem tossed at him during the Mutua Madrid Open final to overcome the Austrian 7-6(8), 6-4 in La Caja Mágica. The 30-year-old Nadal won his fifth Mutua Madrid Open title and his record-tying 30th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, matching World No. 2 Novak Djokovic for the all-time lead. Player Masters 1000 Titles Rafael Nadal 30 Novak Djokovic 30 Roger Federer 26 Andre Agassi 17 Andy Murray 14 Pete Sampras 11 This season, Nadal improves to 15-0 on clay and has now won three consecutive titles, including two Masters 1000 crowns: Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell...
Watch highlights of Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo winning the 2017 Mutua Madrid Open title on Sunday in the Spanish capital. Watch live matches at tennistv.com. Mutua Madrid Open photo.