Madrid Flashback: Rafael Nadal reaches his fourth Caja Magica final

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• Rafael Nadal

After a short campaign on Madrid's blue clay in 2012, Rafael Nadal was back on a winning way a year later. The home favorite advanced into his fourth Caja Magica final thanks to a 6-0, 6-4 victory over a compatriot Pablo Andujar in an hour and 17 minutes.

Andujar came to Madrid with 11 Masters 1000 triumphs, finding his A-game in the Spanish capital and beating Kei Nishikori in the quarter-final to set Nadal clash. Rafa proved too good that day, fending off all three break chances and dropping 11 points in eight service games to keep the pressure on the other side.

Andujar could not match those numbers, giving away half of the points in his games and suffering four breaks from seven chances offered to the more experienced compatriot. Thus, Rafa raced into his 34th Masters 1000 final at 26!

Nadal had 22 winners and 12 unforced errors and controlled the pace nicely. He destroyed the opponent in the quickest points up to four strokes and handled everything despite working a bit harder in set number two. Pablo netted a forehand in the encounter's opening game to lose serve and make the worst start.

Nadal cemented the break with a service winner in game two and settled into a nice rhythm.

Rafael Nadal defeated Pablo Andujar in the 2013 Madrid semi-final.

Unable to find his range, Andujar landed a forehand long in the third game to get broken again and allowed Rafa to open a 4-0 advantage after 16 minutes.

Pablo hit a double fault in the fifth game to find himself 5-0 down. Rafa closed the set with three winners in the next one for a bagel after 24 minutes and the most reliable start. The lower-ranked Spaniard was there to fight in set number two, imposing his strokes and creating break chances with a forehand winner in game six.

Staying calm, Rafa repelled three with winners and brought the game home after his rival's volley error to level the score at 3-3. Both players served well in the next couple of games, and Nadal made a crucial move with a break at 4-4.

A former champion grabbed a break following Andujar's terrible drop shot and moved over the top with four winners in game ten for his fourth final in five Caja Magica events.