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.

Rafael Nadal does his customary ritual of biting the trophy after his Rio Open win

Dolgopolov continued to make errors and Nadal sensed his chance. He hammered away at Dolgopolov’s backhand and a mistake at the net cord at 15-40 gave him his second break of the match.

Nadal continued to roll away, stepping up into the court and striking the ball clean and hard and out of reach of Dolgopolov.

Still, the Ukrainian did produce moments of inspired play. His serving was top notch for brief periods as he held on for 3-2. Nadal, by now, was in his element, as he held on with another love hold.

At 4-2, Nadal piled the pressure on Dolgopolov as he struck his trademark forehand pass down the line. Dolgopolov managed to hold on for deuce, but Nadal gained a break point when he struck the net. Dolgopolov saved it with a good hit to Nadal’s backhand and followed it up with an ace to get to game point. He hit a wide serve to Nadal’s backhand and nullified his return with a volley at the net to claw one back.

Dolgopolov went all out in the next game, as he tried to find a gap in Nadal’s defence. But Nadal doused the threat as he reeled strong shots off both sides and took the lead 5-3.

In a final act of resistance, Dolgopolov held on to his serve, making Nadal serve for the championship.

An anticlimax ensued. This was Nadal serving for a title on a claycourt and he rarely lets the opportunity slip. But Dolgopolov used the net cord to his advantage to put one net volley past Nadal, and Nadal then got his first time violation too. All of a sudden, Dolgopolov stood with a chance to break Nadal, as the latter mishit a shot into the net. Dolgopolov then broke him with a superb angled shot which Nadal couldn’t reach. It was a great time to win his very first game off Nadal’s serve in all their meetings.

Nadal countered the only way he knew. He quickly overcame any disappointment of not closing the match and produced a brilliant service game to take it into a tie-break.

Nadal took the lead in the breaker with an early mini-break. Dolgopolov countered with a great passing shot, but Nadal sealed the next point with a convincing shot from inside the court to take a 2-1 lead. Dolgopolov then double faulted and mishit a forehand into the net to give Nadal breathing space at 4-1.

Nadal took it to 5-2, with Dolgopolov serving hanging by a thread. The Ukrainian converted one service point but Nadal took the other, to give himself the chance to served for the title with three championship points. He converted on his first as Dolgopolov fired his service return long, and Nadal raised his arms in triumph, as the inaugural Rio Open Champion.

This was a gritty tournament for the Spaniard, with some highs and lows, but as ever, he found a way through them to win his first claycourt title of the season. Considering his staggering claycourt resume in past years, surely there are more titles to follow this year for the world’s best player.