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World number one
Rafa Nadal overpowered Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-1 7-5 to win the Japan
Open on Sunday, capping a week of “Nadal Fever” in Tokyo.

It was the
Spaniard’s seventh title of the year and improved his tour-best record
to 66-8 after a flawless match in which Monfils failed to force a
single break point.

“I want to finish
the season well and winning titles is a perfect way to finish,” Nadal
told reporters. “It’s difficult to keep winning. I have to enjoy these
moments because you never know when they will end.

“I’m going to try
to keep it going in Shanghai (next week) and the rest of the season and
in London (ATP Tour Finals), the most difficult tournament for me.

“Gael is a great
player. He beat me in 2009 and we had a tough match at the U.S. Open
the same year. But I played really well today.”

Nadal bounced onto
the court like a prize-fighter and quickly had fifth seed Monfils on
the ropes with some brutal hitting from the baseline.

He wrapped up the
first set with a ferocious forehand down the line but Monfils, who
survived a fright when he took an early tumble and turned his ankle,
raised his game in the second.

The Frenchman’s
extra energy gave the match its highlight point in the 10th game when
he scrambled to return two overheads from Nadal.

Narrow escape

Monfils charged the
net after clawing back the second and dived in front of Nadal, whose
third smash narrowly missed giving Monfils a sore backside, after which
the two men touched hands.

Luck deserted
Monfils in the next game, a net cord giving Nadal break point and the
Spaniard nosed ahead 6-5 when a sliced backhand return floated past
Monfils and landed flush on the line.

Nadal delivered the
knockout punch in the next game, a big serve to the body ending the
match and giving this year’s triple grand slam champion a 43rd career
title.

He celebrated by striking a gunslinger’s pose as a packed crowd of 10,000 in Tokyo erupted in cheers.

Nadal, a nine-time grand slam winner, pocketed $260,000 for winning on his debut in Japan.

The end of the
match triggered a stampede for Nadal’s autographs and it took him 20
minutes to leave the court as he signed everything from baseball caps
to teddy bears.

“I think Rafa likes my type of game and I didn’t find a solution to
give him any trouble,” Monfils said. “Rafa is so tough to play
against.”