Rio Open 2014: Rafael Nadal takes title with straight sets win over Alexandr Dolgopolov

Rafael Nadal celebrates his Rio Open victory over Alexandr Dolgopolov

Final: Rafael Nadal def. Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 7-6(3)

Rafael Nadal won the inaugural ATP Rio Open tournament defeating Ukranian Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets as he won his second title of the year out of the three finals he has contested in, and 62nd title overall. Nadal improved his career claycourt finals record to 43-6 and is now just three short of Guillermo Vilas’s all-time claycourt title record of 46.

Just from the first three points of the match, you sensed that this was the blistering Nadal we saw in the quarterfinal and not the erratic one we saw in the semis. Despite not landing too many first serves in, there was zip in his strokes and he attacked the net effectively.

Dolgopolov started briskly as well. He served a couple of aces and came to the net too, and in a cat and mouse effort, sealed the game with a volley at the net.

After Nadal held serve well again, he strangled Dolgopolov. Outmanoeuvring his opponent, he forced errors out of Dolgopolov’s racquet and converted the first of his three break points when the latter fired long.

Nadal had no trouble holding serve of his own, and aided by unforced errors from Dolgopolov, easily held on to take a 4-1 lead.

Dolgopolov produced another good service game, and put pressure on Nadal in the next. He opened the court well and attacked Nadal’s returns earnestly to fire winners on both sides of the court. At 30-30, the Ukranian played a brilliant rally and stretched Nadal to earn his first break point of the match. Nadal denied him from obtaining his first ever break against him though, by scrambling for the ball and slicing the ball at the net. At deuce, another amazing net point followed, but this time it was Dolgopolov who took it, by lobbing the ball behind Nadal and placing the ball past Nadal with the ensuing volley.

Nadal saved the second break point when Dolgopolov hit long, but the Ukrainian gained another break point with a backhand winner.

Nadal got a warning from the umpire to speed up his service games, but that didn’t distract him as he saved the break point and then produced two good first serves to maintain his one-break advantage.

Dolgopolov made Nadal serve for the set with an easy love hold, and Nadal made no mistakes this time. His curling top spin forehands were too much for Dolgopolov and he sealed the set on the first of his three set points with an ace.

Though it seemed like a convincing first set win for Nadal, the stats told a different story. Nadal hit only one winner in the entire set, compared to Dolgopolov’s 13, but he made fewer errors and got a lot of first serves in, which made the difference.

Nadal pushed Dolgopolov in the opening game of the second set, but he held on with some gritty defence. Nadal was in his groove though, firing aces and giving no chance for Dolgopolov to control play.