After multiple breaks, some terrific shotmaking, and some late second set changeover tension, Rafael Nadal lifted his biggest title of the year winning the Bet-at-Home Championships over Fabio Fognini 7-5, 7-5.
With the victory, it makes 11 straight years the former world number one has won a European clay court title and his 47th career clay court title. Also with the victory, the Spaniard avoids a third straight defeat to Fognini losing to him in Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona.
Nervy first set goes to Rafael Nadal
Just in his opening service game, the Spaniard was pushed to deuce, and Fognini would get the break to go up 1-0. However, the eighth-seeded Italian netted a short forehand to give the break right back. These two men would trade breaks once again before the first hold was scene by Nadal in the fifth game.
After the early struggles on serve, both men started to get things going with a string of holds. At 5-5, Nadal hit a poor drop shot that had too much air on it at deuce, the Italian coolly took his backhand and ripped the winner to set up a break point. He was unable to convert though which would have given him an opportunity to serve out for the set.
At 5-6 down, the eighth-seeded Italian was going at it again with the Spaniard with a brutal rally at 15-30 down, but like always, Fognini made a poor decision in the middle of the crucial point and went for the swinging volley and went well wide. He would save both set points but finally conceded the set when Nadal hit a forehand winner up the line on ad. First set to Nadal 7-5.
Breaks and late tension in a changeover overshadow Nadal’s biggest title to date
Early in the second, Nadal began to find depth on his groundstrokes more consistently. The deep balls gave the Italian trouble as he found himself a break down early thanks to a long forehand off of Nadal’s return 2-1 up at advantage. What looked to be the turning point of the set was when the former world number one squandered three game points to up 4-1. Fognini, whose emotions and lack of motivation gets to him at times, went out and pushed Nadal in that game. He earned the break and consolidated for three-all.
Fognini began feeling it after nodding up the score. A drop shot winner sent the score to 3-4 in his favor. Fognini would concede the break back as Nadal stopped play on a ball that looked out, and the chair confirmed it.
In the following game, the Spaniard had chances for 5-4 but could not convert. A poorly timed and played drop shot saw him give the break as Fognini had a chance to serve out for the set. During the changeover, Fognini was clearly frustrated about something Nadal has been doing so he went over to him and started yelling at him.
The Spaniard, who clearly wanted no part in the Italian’s games, just shouted at him to go back to his side. That made Nadal fired up as he would prevent Fognini from forcing a third and would win the break back. At 5-all, the Buenos Aires champion found himself forced to save two break points after yet another poorly executed drop shot.
The Italian was forced to serve to stay in the set and had chances for a tiebreaker but did not convert on his game points. Three consecutive loose errors from Fognini gave Nadal the match and the title. The handshake between them was simple, but it looked like there was some tension there still.
After the handshake, Nadal fell to the ground and celebrated only as he good. That’s 500 ranking points for him as he moves up to world number nine. He said after the match that the victory was important because of his disappointing Wimbledon.
Nadal wasn’t at his peak by any means. His first percentage was high but had no pace on it, he wasn’t unleashing his weapons, and his groundstrokes still lack consistent depth. He’s going to have to figure out what he’ll do next when facing the big guns at the Rogers Cup in Montreal.