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A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 2 May 2017
Nadal beats Thiem to win 10th title in Barcelona

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) he conceded to Thiem at
— Rafael Nadal defeated the “Rafa Nadal” center
Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-1 court. He was only broken
to win his 10th Barcelona twice in 47 service games
Open title on Sunday. throughout the week.
It was the second consec- “It was vital for me to win
utive week that Nadal had the first set,” Nadal said. “It
won a tournament for the was difficult. I had a few
10th time. He had become more chances than him,
the first men’s tennis player but it was very even.”
in the Open era to win the The 30-year-old Nadal
same title 10 times at the has won 10 consecutive
Monte Carlo Masters last matches and is 21-1 in his
Sunday. past 22 sets.
“It means a lot to me to win Thiem, who had upset top-
10 titles here in Barcelona ranked Andy Murray in the
as well,” Nadal said. “To semifinals on Saturday, was
win in Barcelona and Mon- trying to win his second title
te Carlo gives me a dream of the season. He won in
start to the clay season.” Rio de Janeiro in February.
It was Nadal’s second title Nadal won five straight ti-
of the season and 71st of tles in Barcelona from 2005-
his career. 09, then three consecutive
The fifth-ranked Spaniard Rafael Nadal of Spain poses with the trophy after winning his men’s finals match 6-4, 6-1 against from 2011-13, and now two
Dominic Thiem of Austria during their singles final match at the Barcelona Open Tennis Tourna-
had lost his previous three ment in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 30, 2017. in a row in 2016 and this
finals, including to Roger Associated Press year. He has a 10-0 record
Federer in the Australian in finals in Barcelona, losing
Open. only one set.
Next month he will try to Slams was three years ago ranked Austrian late in the out the match for his 51st Nadal improved to 53-3
win a 10th French Open ti- in Roland Garros. first set and early in the sec- career title on clay. He at the ATP World Tour 500
tle. The last of his 14 Grand Nadal broke the ninth- ond, then cruised to close saved the only break point event.q