Nadal reaches first grasscourt final in four years

A straight-sets win over Frenchman seals Nadal’s spot in Stuttgart Open final where he will face Troicki.

ATP tennis tournament Stuttgart
Nadal claimed Stuttgart titles on clay in 2005 and 2007 [EPA]

Rafa Nadal reached his first grasscourt final in four years after beating Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-4 in the semi-finals of the Stuttgart International.

Nadal will face either Serbia’s Viktor Troicki in the final of his first tournament since a disappointing claycourt campaign ended with a French Open quarter-final defeat by Novak Djokovic.

Nadal, whose last grasscourt final came at Wimbledon in 2011, has dropped to 10th in the ATP rankings after a difficult year in which he has won only a single title.

The twice Wimbledon champion looked sharp against Monfils, however, easing past the Frenchman, who failed to convert any of his four break-point opportunities, in only 79 minutes.

“I think I’m playing well,” the Spaniard said on Sky Sports.

“It’s important for me after losing at Roland Garros to keep going and have the right attitude, the right level of tennis in the next couple of weeks and that is what I am trying.

“I’m enjoying again the tennis and every victory is important and being in the final is great news.”

Nadal has won the Stuttgart title twice in 2005 and 2007, when the tournament was held on clay.

Serbia’s Troicki beat second-seed Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-7, 7-6. 

Source: AFP