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Madrid - Novak Djokovic earned his third straight final victory over top-ranked Rafael Nadal with a 7-5, 6-4 win at the Madrid Open on Sunday that stretched his unbeaten start to the season to 32 matches.
The second-ranked Djokovic cut Nadal's latest winning streak on clay at 37 matches with his first victory in 10 tries over the Spaniard on his favoured surface. It was Djokovic's sixth title of 2011 and allowed him to surpass Bjorn Borg's 31-match unbeaten run from 1980. He now only trails the 42-0 start by John McEnroe in 1984.
Djokovic's 34 straight wins since Serbia's Davis Cup triumph in December is the eighth best of all time.
"Unbelievable," Djokovic commented on the winning streak before revealing his strategy. "I stepped on to the court today believing I could win. I needed to be aggressive and it was a great match."
Nadal's last defeat on clay came nearly two years ago at the French Open with the French Open player winning six clay titles since then. But Djokovic followed up final wins over Nadal in Miami and Indian Wells with one on home turf to hand him only his seventh clay loss in 196 matches dating back to 2005.
Nadal had split the last two finals here with Roger Federer but Djokovic was once again his toughest opponent at the Magic Box arena after the pair squared off in a record 4-hour plus semi-final in 2009 that Nadal won.
Djokovic, who took home a winner's cheque of €590 000, raced out 4-0 after Nadal netted to be broken for the second time.
Nadal broke back immediately and then pulled to within 5-4 after touching the corner to convert his second break point.
The Spaniard then saved a triple-set point to even it before Djokovic took the set on his fourth try when his backhand dropped off the top of the net, falling short to leave Nadal with no chance.
Nadal charged up the capacity 12 500 fans in the opening game of the second set after lobbing the Australian Open champion with a no-look through the legs shot to set up a triple break chance. Nadal slammed a forehand down the line to break, but his opponent evened after breaking right back.
Djokovic never capitulated on any of the lengthy baseline rallies. His 26th winner set up break and match point and following an incredible rally that saw both players stretching across the baseline, Nadal slapped a backhand wide of the near line.
