For Nadal, it was his 138th win in 142 matches on the surface and proof, if any was ever needed, that he is the greatest clay court player the world has ever seen.



He now plays in Barcelona against a field denied by the likes of Federer, Djokovic and Murray and is an odds certainty to win there too, which would bring his tally to four titles already this season and with another Masters clay court tournament to play in Madrid before the players embark on the second Grand Slam tournament of the year at the French Open.

Nadal has won the French Open for the past four years and holds the remarkable record of never having been beaten at Roland Garros. In last year's French Open final he defeated the second best clay court player in the world, Roger Federer, losing just four games in his three set victory. It was humiliating loss for Federer, who at the time was the world number one and favourite to overhaul the record fourteen Grand Slam titles held by Pete Sampras.

It is Nadal who is now the world number one and it is he rather than Federer who is favourite to transcend Sampras's feat. The Spaniard has already amassed six Grand Slam wins and with the French and Wimbledon looming, he is likely to make that eight before the year is out and he is only 22 years old.

Obviously, Federer, Djokovic and Murray will all be out there to stop him but even they, when in their deepest thoughts, must wonder how to beat a man who plays with such stubborn defence and overwhelming accuracy on virtually any court.

In Monte Carlo last week, Murray showed signs that he could trouble the Spaniard. He took the second set to a tie break and looked for a long period that he was the better player, but it was Nadal who found the way to win when it mattered. Djokovic also had Nadal in trouble in the final, daring even to take a set off him, but he too fell by the wayside when the going got tough. Federer of course went out of the tournament early, offering more proof that his reign is now over at the top of the world.

There are three Grand Slam events left this year, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. There is little doubt that Nadal will claim the French Open and he will be favourite to win for the second straight year at Wimbledon. There is a chance that any of the other top four players could upset his chances at the US Open, but with Nadal already in possession of the Australian Open title even that will be a tall order. Nadal could be the first man since the great Rod Laver to hold all four Grand Slam titles in one year. Who would bet against him?