Rafael Nadal secures 5th Rogers Cup title
Tournament's top seed makes quick work of Daniil Medvedev
Rafael Nadal has added a fifth Rogers Cup title.
Nadal, 33, won last year's Rogers Cup in Toronto, where he also triumphed in 2008.
"I played a solid match, my best match of the week so far without a doubt," Nadal said. "I did a lot of things well: changing directions, changing rhythms."
The Spaniard's other two victories on Canadian soil came in Montreal back in 2005 at age 19 over Andre Agassi — his first-ever hardcourt conquest — and against Milos Raonic in 2013.
WATCH | Nadal raises trophy at Rogers Cup in Montreal:
Currently ranked second in the world, Nadal improved to 41-6 in 2019 and raised his third trophy of the season at the $5.7-million US ATP Tour Masters 1000 series event after also winning on clay in Rome and at the French Open.
He advanced to Sunday's showdown with Medvedev after Gael Monfils withdrew from their scheduled semifinal with an ankle injury.
Nadal fought off a break point in the first game of Sunday's opening set before going up 3-1 when Medvedev double faulted. Then leading 5-3, the Spaniard sealed the set with a great passing forehand shot down the line after Medvedev came to the net.
Medvedev, who was playing Nadal for the first time, was broken again to open the second set. Despite clearly being second favourite in the eyes of the crowd, fans tried to spur the Russian on down 2-0, but his shaky performance continued as he was broken again to fall behind even further when his shot went long on another break.
Hat tip to Nadal
Then trailing 4-0, Medvedev was broken again when his shot went into the net. Nadal served out from there to clinch the 83rd tournament win — and 20th on a hardcourt — of his singles career.
"I knew how it's going to be," Medvedev said of playing Nadal. "I was kind of ready for it. Then didn't manage to probably show my best tennis, but at the same time Rafa was incredible today.
"I need to see the match on the TV to say for sure, but congrats to him. I need to do better next time."
The Spaniard also defended a hardcourt title for the first time in walloping an opponent that hadn't lost a set all week before Sunday.
The 6-3, 6-0 score was the most lopsided men's final at the event since American star John McEnroe defeated countryman Vitas Gerulaitas 6-0, 6-3 in 1984.
With the victory, Nadal stretched his lead atop the all-time Masters 1000 series title list to 35, two more than world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. He also reached his 51st final, moving past No. 3 Roger Federer for top spot.