Perfect Nadal cool in the heat

ACAPULCO (Mexico) • Rafael Nadal continued his perfect start to the tennis season, beating Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4 yesterday to lift the Acapulco title in his first tournament since winning the Australian Open.

In the sweltering Mexican heat, the record 21-time Grand Slam champion needed only one hour and 54 minutes to beat the British world No. 12 for the fourth time in as many career meetings.

"It was a very humid day, very difficult conditions. Cameron is a very solid player, he's a tricky player, he makes you feel that you cannot play comfortable against him at all," Nadal said. "I had been going through some very difficult moments in the match."

But the world No. 5 was not too unsettled to claim a 91st career victory, and his fourth in Acapulco after wins in 2005, 2013 and 2020.

Nadal is now level with compatriot David Ferrer and Austria's Thomas Muster for the most titles in the Mexican tournament.

As he did two years ago, the Spaniard won the ATP 500 event without dropping a set.

Nadal is now undefeated - a run of 15 straight matches - since losing to Lloyd Harris in the third round in Washington last August.

He then ended the season after that because of a foot injury but is back to his best after recuperating for several months.

The 35-year-old returned to win the Melbourne Summer Set tune-up, before clinching the Australian Open for a second time to break out of a tie with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic for most men's singles Grand Slams.

Nadal gained the lone break of the opening set in the fifth game, pouncing on a couple of Norrie miscues that gave him break point and firing a forehand passing winner up the line to convert.

After they exchanged breaks in the first two games of the second set, his opponent held for a 2-1 lead only for the favourite to roar back with four straight games.

Broken on his first attempt to serve out the match, Nadal made no mistake on his second opportunity.

In the Dubai Tennis Championships, an emotional Andrey Rublev said he will sleep for two days after securing his third trophy in seven days by ending the dream run of Czech qualifier Jiri Vesely with a 6-3, 6-4 victory in the final on Saturday.

The Russian second seed won the singles and doubles titles in Marseille last Sunday before clawing his way to a 10th career singles crown, and a fifth at the ATP 500 level.

"For sure for the next two days I will sleep, I won't leave my bed," said Rublev. "Finally, I can rest for maybe one week now. I feel super happy, even though maybe I'm tired."

World No. 7 Rublev entered the Dubai final having contested 17 matches - across singles and doubles - in three weeks, 12 of which were three-setters, and was running on fumes.

"I was lucky today and that's why I'm happy to be the champion, I didn't expect this. It's an amazing feeling," he added.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS