Fernando Verdasco continued his impressive build-up to the French Open when he outslugged last year’s Roland Garros runner-up Robin Soderling to win the Barcelona Open on Sunday.
The Spanish fifth seed, ranked one place lower than his Swedish opponent at No. 9, showed signs of fatigue after his run to last week’s Monte Carlo Masters final but dug deep to oust second seed Soderling 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on another day of warm sunshine at the Reial Club de Tennis.
Left-hander Verdasco started strongly on the Catalan clay and took the first set when a thumping forehand down the line secured a second break of serve.
PHOTO: AFP
The powerful Swede, who had not dropped a set on his way to the final, found his range to level the match before Verdasco claimed a crucial break to move 3-1 ahead in the decider.
Roared on by the home fans, the 26-year-old sealed his second title of the year when Soderling went wide with a backhand to make Verdasco the eighth straight Spanish winner of the huge Conde de Godo trophy.
He fell to the ground, staining his blue shirt with red dust, before running to the net to shake hands with Soderling and embracing his family and coaching team.
“I have been training here since I was 15 or 16 years old so it’s always a very special tournament and winning here is an incredible feeling,” Verdasco, who decided to play on a wild card at the last minute, said in a courtside TV interview. “I wasn’t planning to play here and I won the tournament so imagine how I feel — amazing.”
Verdasco and Soderling both look in fine fettle ahead of the only clay court grand slam which starts next month in Paris, although Rafa Nadal was on blistering form in Monte Carlo, thrashing Verdasco 6-0 6-1 in the final, and will be the clear favorite if his troublesome knees hold up.
The world No. 3 won the title in Barcelona the past five years but withdrew from this year’s event to rest before next week’s Rome Masters.
Soderling knocked Nadal out of Roland Garros last year and Verdasco congratulated him for his excellent performances on clay before dedicating Sunday’s win to his sister, who was celebrating her birthday.
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