MADRID (AP) – Andy Murray beat Rafael Nadal on clay for the first time Sunday, dominating the Madrid Open tennis final to win 6-3, 6-2 against the four-time champion.
It was Murray’s first Masters title on clay, a week after his maiden career tournament victory on the red surface at the Munich Open.
Murray dictated most of the long rallies, which lasted up to 24 strokes, displaying a level of confidence that has often been lacking for the Briton on clay.
He broke twice to take a 4-0 lead in the second set and clinched the win when Nadal sent a forehand return into the net.
“For me it was obviously a very tough match, you know winning against Rafa on clay is extremely difficult, one of the hardest things in tennis,” Murray said. “From my side it was a very good performance. I’m sure Rafa feels he could have played much better. But from my side, I couldn’t have done much more.”
It was Nadal’s fourth loss on clay this year, raising questions about his ability to win a tenth French Open title this year. Still, his play this week was an improvement compared to the Barcelona Open last month, when he lost to Fabio Fognini in the third round.
“This wasn’t the game I wanted to play, but I tried to the very end,” Nadal said. “Still, it was a very important and positive week for me, I recovered sensations that I hadn’t felt in a long time.”
The trophy was presented by Spanish tennis great Manuel Santana, who celebrated his 77th birthday Sunday.
