Nadal races to another Barcelona title

Ferrer put up more of a fight in the second set as the pair broke each other twice but lost his serve again in the 11th game and Nadal sealed victory on his second match point when Ferrer sent a forehand long.

This is much more than a dream for me, Nadal said after lifting the huge Conde de Godo trophy. I never could have imagined Id be here winning for a fifth time, he added. Congratulations to David. Even though it was not possible for him today he played a great tournament.

At a later news conference,Nadal said he had been impressed with Ferrers fightback in the second set. When he is playing aggressively like that he is hard to dominate, he said. I was very happy with my game today and I think it was my best performance so far this year on clay.

The 22-year-old Mallorcan has only lost four times on his favoured surface since 2005,most recently to fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero at last years Rome Masters when he was not fully fit. He became the first man to win five successive Monte Carlo Masters titles last weekend and is favourite for a fifth straight French Open crown when the Grand Slam begins in Paris next month.

He also holds the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles and now heads to the Italian capital where he will bid for a fourth Rome Masters triumph. I will try to carry my good form on into Rome, Nadal said. If I manage to play at my best there I have a good chance. (Reuters)

Bhupathi-Knowles lose final

Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles faltered at the final hurdle and had to be content with the runners-up title at the Barcelona Open following their defeat to the reigning ATP World Tour Champions Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic.

Bidding for their first title in six months,the fourth seeded Indo-Bahamian pair lost 6-4 7-6 (9) to the Canadian-Serbian pair,also the number two seeds,in one hour and 33 minutes.