(Reuters) - Rafa Nadal saved a match point before defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 6-7(6) 7-5 to claim a record-extending 12th Barcelona Open title on Sunday, ending his Greek opponent's nine-game unbeaten start to the European claycourt swing. Having collected his first title of the 2021 season, Nadal, 34, will leapfrog Russian Daniil Medvedev to take back the world number two spot in the updated ATP rankings on Monday. Tsitsipas, who won his previous meeting with the Spaniard in the Australian Open quarter-finals in February, fought hard to stay in the match and saved two match points before winning the second-set tiebreak to force the decider. Nadal improved his unbeaten record to 12-0 in finals at one of his favourite ATP events where the main showcourt carries his name. (Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Source: The Star April 25, 2021 19:23 UTC