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Polish-Brazilian pair claim title without dropping a set
Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo dominated the doubles field at the Mutua Madrid Open, clinching their second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 of the year without dropping a set.
Kubot and Melo downed Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 20 minutes on Sunday. The Polish-Brazilian pair turned in an impressive serving performance, claiming 88 per cent of first serve points and saving three of four break points faced.
Also the champions in Miami and runners-up in Indian Wells, Kubot and Melo are off to a flying start in their first full season together. They improve to 17-7 in 2017 and open a 240-point lead over Henri Kontinen and John Peers atop the Emirates ATP Doubles Race To London, passing the Finnish-Aussie duo for No. 1.
"We can't feel better," said Melo. "We played another really good tournament. In four Masters 1000 tournaments we won two and reached another final, so these are pretty big results. I am really happy the way we are playing now and looking forward to the next one.
"Lukasz went to Barcelona alone because my mom had some health problems, but she's perfect now. She is recovering at home and watched our final today. It's Mother's Day in Brazil so this title is for her."

After exchanging breaks midway through the first set, the fourth seeds sealed the opener with another break in the 12th game. They would reel off five straight games, also snatching the early lead in the second set, and did not look back from there. With Melo serving for the match at 5-3, Roger-Vasselin turned aside the first championship point with a rifled return winner, but could not handle Melo's delivery on the second.

Individually, it was Kubot's 16th tour-level doubles crown and fourth with Melo. They had also teamed up to win consecutive titles in Vienna in 2015-16. The Brazilian now owns 24 tour-level titles in total, including seven at the Masters 1000 level. They earn 1,000 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points and split €323,200 in prize money.
"We're learning day-by-day how to improve and we're having great results," said Kubot. "We have to be ready for the tough moments and the next big event in Rome. Let's see what will happen in the future."
The French duo of Mahut and Roger-Vasselin, meanwhile, were bidding for their fifth team title and first since 2013, when they won on the grass of Newport. Mahut falls to 17-13 in tour-level doubles finals, while Roger-Vasselin drops to 13-6.

Rafael Nadal was made to work in claiming his fifth Mutua Madrid Open title, edging Dominic Thiem 7-6(8), 6-4 in his home capital on Sunday. Thiem refused to back down in his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final and the pair would produce a stunning display of high-octane tennis from first ball to last. Nadal eventually converted his fourth championship point to close out one of the matches of the year on the ATP World Tour.

The five-time champion extended his unbeaten start to the European clay-court season, which stands at 15-0 following the final. He adds to victories at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, where he also defeated Thiem in the final. The Spaniard lifted a record-tying 30th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, joining Novak Djokovic in the elite club.

Here is how the final unfolded..

FIRST SET - Nadal 7-6(8)
Thiem burst out of the gates on a sunny late afternoon at the Caja Magica, exhibiting no signs of rust after a midnight semi-final finish against Pablo Cuevas. Launching his forehand deep to Nadal's backhand, the Austrian claimed first blood in the third game.

Nadal refused to be broken in their Barcelona final just two weeks prior, but he would concede the first break of the match in the Spanish capital as Thiem struck a volley winner. But the home favourite answered in kind in the sixth game, claiming the point of the match with a stunning defensive display from well behind the baseline. He would draw level for 3-all and pushed Thiem to the brink with the 23 year old serving to stay in the set at 5-4.

Thiem escaped from a 0/40 deficit in that game, denying all three set points and punctuating the hold with an ace down the T. Continuing to strike his forehand with conviction, Thiem was not fazed by the moment of his first Masters 1000 final and would force an opening tie-break.

The margins proved to be razor thin as the set neared its conclusion. Thiem clawed back from a mini-break down with a beautiful forehand into the open court and Nadal rifled a sublime backhand winner at 6-all. The hot shots continued as the tie-break wore on, with Thiem digging deep with a clutch stab volley winner at 7-all. But Nadal is the King of Clay for a reason and he would not be denied, taking the opener 10-8 in the tie-break after a gripping one hour and 18 minutes of high-octane tennis.

Eight of the 18 points in the tie-break were won with outright winners.

SECOND SET - Nadal 6-4
Nadal fired just 14 winners to Thiem's 16 in the first set, but the Austrian was victimised by 21 unforced errors. It would continue to plague him in the opening game of the second set. Nadal was a defensive demon, tracking down everything Thiem sent his way, and he would capture the initial break for 1-0 as the World No. 9 sent a forehand long.

Thiem would not back down, proving why he is one of the brightest stars on the ATP World Tour. But despite continuing to fight and battle for every point, his energy began to fade after such an emotionally-charged first set.

Nadal held to love in two straight service games and was relentless from the baseline as the match neared the finish line. A brilliant running forehand pass moved him to within two points of the title, with Thiem serving down 5-3.

The Austrian would valiantly save two championship points at 15/40 and remarkably held four break points with Nadal serving for the title in the next game. But the Manacor native fired an ace, a service winner and a powerful forehand winner down the line, and he would eventually lift the trophy after two hours and 18 minutes of stunning, world-class tennis.

10.WTF Londyn 2015 902
11.Madryt 2017 892
12.WTF Londyn 2016 891

We look into storylines that emerged during the season's second clay-court Masters 1000 event.
Nadal Is Appearing Untouchable
Can anyone stop Rafael Nadal? The Spaniard picked up his fifth Mutua Madrid Open title and moved to 15-0 on the red dirt this year after prevailing in an epic final over Dominic Thiem. The victory also gives Nadal his 30th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, tying Novak Djokovic for the all-time lead.
But what stands out most is Nadal’s dominance in recording these wins. The Spaniard has won 30 of 32 sets he’s played on clay this year and recorded straight-sets wins against everyone he’s faced inside the Top 20 of the Emirates ATP Rankings. Major roadblocks including Djokovic, Thiem and David Goffin were swiftly brushed aside.
Currently at the top of the Emirates ATP Race to London, which tallies all the race points accumulated beginning Jan. 1 of this year, he is now an overwhelming favourite heading into the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Although Nadal isn’t unbeatable, it will take a brilliant performance to defeat him if he continues to play at this level.
Thiem Making Push For Top 5
The 23-year-old Austrian reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final in Madrid and showed it certainly won’t be his last by giving Nadal all he could handle in the final. Thiem has been in outstanding form on clay this year, winning in Rio de Janeiro (d. Carreno Busta) and finishing runner-up in Barcelona (l. Nadal).
Thiem’s superior fitness means a heavy match schedule – Madrid is his 12th tournament of 2017 – won’t slow him down heading into Rome and Roland Garros. Currently third in the Emirates ATP Race to London, he looks poised to pick up plenty of points over the next few weeks.
Goffin Continues Racking Up Top 10 Wins
David Goffin has never shown fear when competing against the world’s best, but has been especially impressive in scoring scalps on clay. En route to a quarter-final showing in Madrid, the Belgian defeated Milos Raonic in the third round for his fourth Top 10 win of the season. Three of those have come on the dirt, including over Djokovic and Thiem at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
Goffin is now 8-3 on clay, with two of those losses coming to Nadal. No less of an authority that Nadal praised Goffin as someone who can eventually become World No. 1, and the 26 year old is showing that he will continue to use his arsenal to its fullest potential.
The #NextGenATP Players Are Coming
#NextGenATP players Alexander Zverev and Borna Coric put together impressive performances in Madrid to reach the quarter-finals. Zverev ousted Marin Cilic and Tomas Berdych en route to the last eight. Coric, a lucky loser who only entered the main draw after Richard Gasquet withdrew, defeated World No. 1 Andy Murray in the third round.
Zverev and Coric are the top two players in the Emirates ATP Race to Milan, which will determine who qualifies for the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan from 7-11 November. Both men hold sizable leads over their peers in the race and will only continue to add to that gap with their current form.
Kubot/Melo Are Hottest Team On Tour
In their first year competing full-time as a team, Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo picked up their second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title of the season in Madrid by defeating Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin. Kubot/Melo also won in Miami (d. Monroe/Sock) and finished runner-up in Indian Wells (l. Klaasen/Ram).
Their win in Madrid also puts them past Henri Kontinen and John Peers for the top spot in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race to London, and makes them prime contenders to prevail next month at Roland Garros.