Nadal Defeats Ferrer in All-Spain Finals to Win Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell Championship
April 25, 2011 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Spaniard Rafael Nadal defeated his fellow countryman, David Ferrer, 6-2, 6-4 to win his sixth Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell Championship on Sunday. The top-ranked Nadal won his 29th consecutive match at the clay court event, when the fourth-seeded Ferrer hit his backhand wide to end the match. It was Nadal’s 45th career ATP title and his second consecutive trophy after beating Ferrer at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in straight sets April 17.
“It is a dream for me to win here six times,” said Nadal, whose sole loss at the Barcelona Open came against another Spaniard, Alex Corretja, in 2003. “I think it will be difficult to repeat. Six years is a long time in the life of a tennis player.”
Nadal has beaten Ferrer 10 straight times on clay since losing to him in 2004. Ferrer has played in four finals this year, winning two and finishing as runner-up to Nadal twice. Nadal won at Barcelona from 2005-2009, including finals victories over Ferrer in 2008 and 2009, before sitting out last year’s edition to rest.
