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After a relatively comfortable first set for Nadal, both players struggled with their service at the start of the second, with a streak of four games going against the server. With the pressure mounting, Nadal cut down his unforced errors just as his opponent seemed to tighten, breaking to fifteen before duly serving out to beat the world No.13 at the final stage of their home tournament for a second consecutive year. Today’s victory sees the six-time Grand Slam champion continue to extend his incredible streak on clay court wins, which includes 124 wins and just two losses. 24 of those wins have come in Barcelona. Nadal’s five finals in Barcelona are only bettered by Manual Orantes, who reached seven between 1969 and 1977. He also becomes the fourth world No.1 to win the event, after Australians Neale Fraser (1959) and Roy Emerson (1964), and Romania’s Ilie Nastase (1973).Accepting the trophy from Princess Cristina of Spain, Nadal confessed, “I never imagined anything like this. To win again here in Barcelona, in my home club and at such an important tournament is incredible.”With the win, Nadal extends his winning record over his Davis Cup teammate to 7-3. The victory is the 35th title of Nadal’s career and fourth of this year, following his sixth Grand Slam in Australia, and wins at Masters Series events in Indian Wells and Monte Carlo. Ferrer’s runner-up finish was his second of the season, having fallen at the same stage in Dubai against Novak Djokovic.