World number two Rafael Nadal was crowned his second top
Stuttgart title on Sunday after defeating Stanislas Wawrinka of
Switzerland 6-4, 7-5 in the final of the Stuttgart Cup.
With Mercedes Cup in his hand, the 21-year-old Spaniard has thus
captured his sixth title of the year.
"I played a really good tournament this week and that has given
me a lift after losing at Wimbledon," Nadal said in a television
interview.
The French Open champion had problems with his right knee
earlier in the tournament which almost forced his withdrawal.
He was again wearing strapping on Sunday but showed no obvious
signs of discomfort during the match.
"I had a little luck, but I'm very happy I played well," Nadal
said.
Nadal is 23-5 in career finals, the highest winning percentage
in the Open era.
It was his second win at the Stuttgart Cup after his 2005
triumph and he improves his 2007 win-loss record to 56-8, with 31-1
on clay.
Nadal has now won 93 of his 94 matches on clay since April 2005,
his only defeat coming against Roger Federer in the final of the
Hamburg Masters in May.
The 50th-ranked Wawrinka had only won one match in eight
attempts heading into the tournament after returning in May from a
knee injury.
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?(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2007)