Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal continued his incredible start to the 2022 season with a 6-4 6-4 triumph over Britain’s Cameron Norrie to seal the Mexican Open title.
The title was the Spaniard’s fourth in Acapulco. Nadal, who first won the title in 2005 before taking it again in 2013 and 2020, stormed through the Acapulco draw without dropping a single set, to claim his third straight title of the year.
The Spaniard has won 15 straight matches since returning from a foot issue that sidelined him for nearly six months last year.
Nadal looked at his best as he fended off a determined challenger to wrap up the win in an hour 54 minutes.
Norrie, fresh from beating the world No 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semifinals, was the first to drop his serve as Nadal pulled away to a 3-2 lead in the opener before eventually claiming the set.
Norrie dropped his serve in the opening game of the next set but managed to return the favor to be a 1-1. The world No 5, however, showed his mettle again, breaking the British superstar in the fifth game to go ahead 3-2.
Nadal broke Norrie a third time to take a commanding 5-2 lead before the younger man rallied to pull a break back before running out of energy to eventually fall to a scoreline of 6-4, 6-4.
Nadal with four Mexican Open titles ties with David Ferrer and Thomas Muster as the most successful male players at Acapulco.
He holds the amusing record of being the youngest as well as the oldest Men’s player to hold the Mexican Open title
