Eighth title for Nadal in Barcelona

Rafa Nadal has won his eighth title in Barcelona, after comfortably beating his fellow countryman Nicolás Almagro 6-4 and 6-3 in the final of the Open Banc Sabadell tournament. This victory has helped to redeem the Balearic tennis ace after losing last week to Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo.

Rafa Nadal has now won all thirteen of the finals he has disputed against fellow Spanish players. The Majorca-born player claimed his fourth title of the season, the 54th of his career and the 39th on clay.

Nicolas Almagro started brightly, taking the first three games – breaking service for two of them. However, Nadal soon realised that he had to make a little more of an effort and, despite a somewhat defensive approach, fought back and took control of the set – which he won at the first opportunity.

Nadal took advantage of Almagro's uncertainty – who has now been beaten by the Majorcan in all ten meetings between the two – to open up a gap at the start of the second set. Murcia-born Almagro could not contain the ferocious pace Nadal was playing at and seemed to psychologically cave in. Nadal was in complete control of the match and sealed a much-deserved victory.

Nadal has now claimed his fourth title of the year, after previous wins at Sao Paulo, Acapulco and Indian Wells, after a seven-month spell out of the circuit through injury.