Modest Nadal marvels at clay court supremacy

Rafael Nadal said on Monday he is sometimes stunned by his clay-court success, a day after lifting a record-equalling fifth title in Monte Carlo.

But the Spanish dynamo refuses to pace himself as he hits his favourite season, playing four of the five weeks running up to the May 24 start at the French Open and aiming to create more record-shattering performances.

He is now aiming for five titles in a row at this week’s Barcelona Open, where he tops the bill, and will look to build on a record of three titles from five attempts in Rome from next Monday.

He begins against Portugal’s qualifier Federico Gil, who crushed Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan 6-2, 6-1.

A day after beating Novak Djokovic with a runaway third set to win in the principality, Nadal faced his home public at the venerable Real club in an upmarket neighbourhood as the sellout event began.

BARCELONA, Thursday, AFP