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Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova poses with her trophy after beating Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova in their final at the Mutua Madrid Open. Photo: EPA

Petra Kvitova easily clinches second Madrid Open crown in final

Czech’s powerful ground strokes broke ailing Russian rival Svetlana Kuznetsova; Rafael Nadal reaches final

Petra Kvitova eased to her second Madrid Open title when she beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-2 on Saturday.

Fourth-seeded Czech Kvitova hit powerful groundstrokes and broke her Russian rival four times to add the championship to her 2011 victory.

Kuznetsova, however, looked unwell and called for a physiotherapist twice, and was once visited on court by the tournament doctor.

I’m very happy. This week was vital for me, and being in the final is a superb bit of news for me
Rafael Nadal

Just before the final game, Kuznetsova was allowed by the chair umpire to go to the dressing room, but received a mandatory time warning.

At the award presentation, Kuznetsova apologised in Spanish to the spectators that she had not been able to play a good match.

On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal reached his seventh final at the Madrid Open by defeating Tomas Berdych 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.

Yet to drop a set this week, Nadal will face either 2008 champion Andy Murray or last year’s finalist, Kei Nishikori, in the final on Sunday.

Nadal has won the last two Madrid Opens, and will attempt to win his fifth overall.

He found the lines against Berdych, who beat him in the Australian Open quarter-finals, down both lanes with unerring accuracy, and forced the Czech to cover a lot of ground.

Rafael Nadal in action against Czech Tomas Berdych during their semi-final match at Caja Magica tennis complex in Madrid.

Nadal thanked the cheering fans, saying, “You don’t know what this means to me.”

He said when he arrived in Madrid that he had not been sure he would be able to advance past the first round, but that Saturday’s match was the best he’d played all year.

“I’m very happy. This week was vital for me, and being in the final is a superb bit of news for me,” Nadal said.

He ended a nine-month title drought with victory in February in Buenos Aires, and came to Madrid having lost to Novak Djokovic in the Monte Carlos semi-finals, and Fabio Fognini in the Barcelona third round. Three losses on clay this year were his most in a single season in 12 years.

“At this level, all rivals are complicated, even when you come up against them with a positive attitude, but when you arrive after an irregular phase, they become even tougher,” he said.

“One has to work hard to change that mindset, and develop a more positive outlook. Winning helps change that, and I’m doing all I can to do that.”

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