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Nadal Lifts Bastad Trophy
Synam Swedish Open
June 10th, 2005
Topseed Rafael Nadal won the battle of the teenagers when he defeated Czech Tomas Berdych 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the final of the Synsam Swedish Open in Bastad Sunday.
This was the first time two teenagers met in the Bastad final since Mats Wilander defeated Henrik Sundstrom in 1982.
The 19-year-old Spaniard last encountered a claycourt loss against Igor Andreev in the Valencia quarterfinals on April 8, and since then he has won 29 straight matches on the surface.
By winning the Bastad final, the Mallorcan teenager became the first player to capture seven titles on clay in one season since Thomas Muster in 1996. Before winning the 58th edition Synsam Swedish Open, Nadal lifted the trophies in Costa do Sauipe, Acapulco, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, and Roland Garros. Last season he captured his career-first title in Sopot.
Nadal, who is 2nd in the INDESIT ATP Champions Race this week, became the fifth Spanish player to win here in Bastad after Manolo Santana in 1962, 1965 and 1969, Manuel Orantes in 1972 and 1975, Emilio Sanchez in 1986 and Carlos Moya in 2002.
Berdych, who was attempting to win his career-second ATP title, put up quite a struggle before losing to Nadal, handing him his first set-loss of the week.
"I didn't play very well in the first set, but Berdych played very aggressively and didn't make any mistakes. There wasn't much I could do," said the Spaniard after the match. "In the second set I started to hit the ball deeper and play more aggressively. That was important for my confidence."
"We were both nervous in the beginning. I played well in the first set, perhaps too well, since I didn't have much room to improve in the second. I think that's why I lost," said the Czech in the press conference. "I would have had a better chance against him on a faster surface," he continued.
The Prostejov-resident advanced to the final at the expense of two-time Bastad champion Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina in the quarterfinals and countryman Jiri Vanek in the semis.
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