Cincinnati Masters: Nadal subdues Isner to clinch title

Long after the ink has dried on contemporary tennis history, one story shall be rehashed and retold like an eternal encomium about a warrior who brooked no defeat. Rafael Nadal added another page to an already bulging book of triumphant glory with a typically resilient 7-6(8), 7-6(3) victory over a valiant John Isner to pocket his maiden Western & Southern Open title in Mason, Ohio.

His success this week enabled the Spaniard emulate Novak Djokovic as the only men to have claimed five ATP Masters Series events in a season. The victory also helped Nadal stretch his own record in winning his 26th Masters Series title. Playing for the fourth straight week, Isner tried everything he knew only to fall agonisingly short of a first title at this level.

In their first encounter since that classic five set thriller at Roland Garros in 2011, Nadal sent a sizzling backhand down the line winner to take the first point of the match. Isner responded in the most emphatic manner possible. The 6’10″ American served three aces down the throat of Nadal to offer a sneak peek into the recipe of the day. The rally is to Nadal what an ace is to Isner – the Spaniard engaged Isner in a series of conversations from the baseline to hold his end of the bargain.

At 30-30 in the fifth game, Nadal smelt an opportunity. Isner though introduced Nadal to a powerful forehand winner, bringing his other big weapon to bear on the situation. The inside out forehand was a powerful ally allowing Isner to hold serve from a tricky situation. Despite an enemies imposing arsenal, always trust Nadal to discover a chink in the armour sooner than later.

A moment of reckoning came in the ninth game – Isner looked set for another easy hold at 40-15 on his serve. But as is his wont, Nadal powered himself to find some extra pace and spin to trouble his opponent. The game points evaporated soon as Nadal forced deuce twice. Isner fell back to what he knew best – dealing a service winner and an ace to keep the set on serve at 5-4.

When a singeing forehand cross court winner took Isner to 6-5, it was left to Nadal to push the set into a tie-break. Nadal hit a bump when he threw in a double fault to fall to 0-30 in the twelfth game. Isner had his fingers on the set when Nadal messed up a backhand volley at 15-30. The seasoned warrior in Nadal reared his head again as the Spaniard brought out his clutch skills – two service winners and a pair of aces addressed the threat in the most effective manner possible.

Isner had a 32-12 record in breakers this year, but his nerves jangled at the sight of the indefatigable man across the net. A double fault gave Nadal the mini-break at 3-5. But Nadal sailed a forehand long to return the advantage almost immediately as the duo remained locked at 5-5. Nadal had his first set point at 6-5, but Isner proved equal to it dealing a serve out wide to draw even at 6-6.