MADRID (AP) — Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal on clay for the first time in 10 tries, beating the top-ranked Spaniard 7-5, 6-4 to win the Madrid Open on Sunday and extend his unbeaten start to the season to 32 matches.
The second-ranked Djokovic ended Nadal’s latest winning streak on clay at 37 matches and earned the Serb his third straight victory over Nadal in finals this season.
Djokovic’s sixth title of 2011 allowed him to surpass Bjorn Borg’s 31-match season-opening run in 1980. He trails only John McEnroe’s 42-0 start in 1984.
Djokovic’s run of 34 straight wins since Serbia’s Davis Cup triumph in December is the eighth best of all time.
Earlier, Petra Kvitova won her third title of the season by beating Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the women’s final.
