Can anyone stop Rafael Nadal on clay this season?
The Spaniard was on form once again on Sunday as he defeats Dominic Thiem 7-6 (10-8) 6-4 to win his fifth Madrid Open title and moves into the world’s top four.
According to BBC Sport, Nadal will be confirmed as the new world number four, replacing 18-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, when the new rankings come out on Monday. This will also improve his seeding for the French Open which starts on 22 May.
The Spaniard has now won three straight titles, after his Barcelona Open and Monte Carlo Masters victories, while he is still unbeaten on clay this year.
Nadal, who beat defending champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-final, has now won his 30th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, tying the all-time record with Djokovic.
The former world number one was last inside the world’s top four in October 2016 and struggled with a wrist injury last year, which forced him to pull out of the French Open and Wimbledon.
