Rafael Nadal is certainly back at his amazing best. Watching the Spaniard breeze through a clay season sometimes feels routine. However, he has often struggled on hard courts later in the year. His US Open title put paid to that theory, and he has followed that up with a commanding display in Beijing.
Nadal thrashed volatile Australian Nick Kyrgios in the Beijing final 6-1, 6-2, with the match lasting a little over an hour and a half. Nadal was at his irrepressible best breaking four times and saving four break points in the match. Nadal now leads the head-to-head with Kyrgios 3-2.
Nadal now leads the ATP Tour with six titles in the year. Nadal had gone 1-8 in his last nine hard court finals.
After the match Nadal had some very complimentary words for his opponent, despite the one-sided nature of the scoreline.
“Congratulations to Nick for a great week. Just a month ago you best me in Cincinnati. You’re doing great. Just keep going and playing that way. Of course you will have a lot of success in this sport. You have a great future so just keep going. That’s the same for your team. Well done and all the best for the future.”
Nadal and Kyrgios are both due to take part in the penultimate Masters 1000 of the year in Shanghai. Nadal enjoys a first round bye as the top seed. He will face American Jared Donaldson after he came from behind to edge veteran Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. Kyrgios is seeded 13th so enjoys no bye. He starts against Tokyo quarter-finalist Steve Johnson.
