Acapulco, Mexico – Rafael Nadal mentioned earlier within the week that he was unaware of his profession stats. Now, he would possibly need to check out them.
The 35-year-old Spaniard defeated Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-4 on Saturday to win the Mexican Open and prolong his profession finest begin to the season to 15-0 to win the 91st ATP title.
Nadal, who gained his third title in 2023, together with the Australian Open and his twenty first Grand Slam singles title, racked up three wins out of 94 for Ivan Lendl to complete third in most slams within the open period. Jimmy Connors leads with 109 and Roger Federer with 103.
“On the finish of the day, I’ve at all times mentioned that sort of information must be measured as soon as your profession is over,” Nadal mentioned. “Crucial factor at this time is that I gained a prestigious match.”
The Mexico Open is an ATP 500 match performed on laborious courts, and this 12 months 4 of the world’s prime 5 gamers began within the draw: Daniil Medvedev (2), Alexander Zverev (3), Stefanos Tsitsipas (4) and Nadal (5).
Medvedev, who will rise to primary within the standings on Monday, misplaced to Nadal within the semi-finals. Zverev was kicked out of the match for violently smashing his racket into the referee’s chair moments after shedding the doubles match, and Tsitsipas misplaced to Nuri within the different semi-final.
“[Acapulco] Nadal mentioned: “It is a match that began with 5 of the highest six gamers on the planet. It was sophisticated, and I ended up successful. Trying again, a couple of weeks in the past this appeared unimaginable. It is wonderful how issues can change in such a brief time period. From not having the ability to follow now to the place I’m at this time.”
Nadal gained for the fourth time in Acapulco (2005, 2013 and 2020), the place he was a crowd favourite.
He gained his first title in Mexico when he was 18 and holds the document for the youngest winner within the match’s historical past in addition to the oldest at 35.
“It has been an extended stroll,” Nadal mentioned. “The primary time I got here right here, it was all new to me, and in spite of everything these years I started to understand each victory greater than I did after I was an eighteen-year-old boy.”
Nadal mentioned his physique tolerates effectively and that he’s eager to play in Indian Wells, California, in a few weeks.
Nouri, who had eight straight wins, was attempting to turn into the primary British man to win the Mexican Open in its 29-year historical past.
“I’ve performed in opposition to him earlier than, so I had an concept of how one can play with him, however I gave him a couple of straightforward factors and he gave me nothing,” mentioned Nouri. “He was a bit missing in focus, and I gave him the match.”
In the beginning of the match, Nadal took a fifth inning break to guide 3-2 and went on to win the primary set in 51 minutes.
Within the second set, Nadal had a break within the first match, however Nuri returned it and it appeared that he was again within the match, however the Spaniard added a break within the fifth and seventh video games to return the title.
Within the doubles last, Feliciano Lopez and Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Roger 7-5, 6-4.
