Rafael Nadal won his first title of the European clay-court season on Sunday as a back injury forced Japan’s Kei Nishikori to retire during the final in Madrid.
The world number one led 2-6 6-4 3-0 when a Nishikori, who had led by a set and a break, was forced to pull out. Nadal becomes the first man to win four Madrid titles.
Nadal has now won 44 clay-court titles and is just two away from equalling Agentine great Guillermo Vilas’s all-time record of 46 on the surface.