By Alberto Amalfi | Sunday, June 14, 2015

 

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal defeated Viktor Troicki, 7-6 (3), 6-3, to capture his third Stuttgart championship—and first grass-court title since the 2010 Wimbledon.

Photo credit: MercedesCup

Rafael Nadal put his grass-court title drought out to pasture today.

The top-seeded Nadal defeated Viktor Troicki, 7-6 (3), 6-3, to capture his third Stuttgart championship.

A focused Nadal served 75 percent, hit 11 aces and denied the only break point he faced in collecting his 66th career title in his 95th career ATP final.

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The 10th-ranked Spaniard won his second title of the season and first since he beat Juan Monaco to win Buenos Aires on red clay in February.

It is Nadal's first grass-court crown since he beat Tomas Berdych to win the 2010 Wimbledon. Playing his first final on grass since he lost the 2011 Wimbledon final, Nadal raised his record to 4-3 in grass-court finals.

Nadal also raised Stuttgart title trophies in 2005 and 2007 when the tournament was contested on red clay.

The nine-time Roland Garros champion got stronger as the tournament progressed to triumph in the tournament's debut as a grass-court event. Nadal was broken just three times in four matches.

Nadal went three sets beating former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis in his opener and went the distance denying former Wimbledon quarterfinalist Bernard Tomic in the quarterfinals. Nadal did not drop serve in his 6-3, 6-4 win over fourth-seeded Gael Monfils in the semifinals and saved the only break point he faced in the opening set today.