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Nadal Runs Gaudio Ragged to Win Stuttgart Title
Stuttgart, Germany
July 24th, 2005
Reuters
By Kevin Fylan
STUTTGART, Germany, July 24 (Reuters) - Rafael Nadal swept to a 6-3 6-3 6-4 victory over Gaston Gaudio in Sunday's Mercedes Cup final to land his eighth clay-court title of the year and extend his winning run on the surface to 34 matches.
The 19-year-old Spaniard confirmed his status as the best clay-court player in the world and sealed a place in the lucrative season-ending Masters Cup, with a commanding win over the third-seeded Argentine.
The French Open champion recovered from losing his opening service game to take the first set in 54 minutes, broke twice in the second and ran Gaudio ragged as he completed victory in two hours 41 minutes.
"I won in three sets but this was a tough match," said Nadal. "Gaudio is one of the best clay-court players in the world."
Nadal, already assured of climbing to second in the world behind Roger Federer in the new Entry System rankings, scooped the first prize of 104,400 euros ($126,900) and a luxury car, although the fact that he has no driving licence means he will be unable to make much use of it.
Nadal had not lost a set going into a final he was heavily favoured to win and after a slightly nervous start he maintained that record with few worries.
Gaudio, a clay-court specialist himself and the man Nadal replaced as French Open champion, started with a clear game plan to mix up his shots and try to prevent Nadal finding any rhythm.
Scurrying Spaniard
The tactic worked up to a point, as Nadal found himself scurrying forward every other point to pick up drop shots and angled slices.
Gaudio let himself down, however, by firing off a series of unforced errors.
Nadal made the crucial break in game eight thanks to a deft drop-shot. Gaudio managed to scoop it up but Nadal sent in a lob that the Argentine was unable to return.
Gaudio made more and more mistakes as the match wore on and gifted Nadal an early break in the second set with the latest in a series of backhands that drifted wide.
Gaudio gave himself hope by breaking Nadal at the start of the third set but once again he was unable to consolidate and the Spaniard clinched the title when he forced another backhand error on the first of two match-points.
"Nadal is a great champion," Gaudio said. "He was too good."
The icing on the cake for Nadal was the news that his win was enough to make him only the second player, after Federer, to seal his place at the $4.45 million Masters Cup in Shanghai.
He is the youngest qualifier for the men's season finale since Andrei Medvedev in 1993, the ATP said.
"It's a dream," Nadal said. "Now I'm among the eight best players in the world. It will be my first appearance and I want to do well."
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