Nadal wins Hamburg

The Spaniard cruised into final with a straight-set semifinal win in which he dropped only three games. But Fabio Fognini of Italy, who won this event in 2013 proved to be a sterner test.

The margin of victory in both sets was a single service break in a match that went over two-and-a-half hours. In the first set, Nadal warded a set point, and Fognini three, before the Spaniard clinched it with a forehand return.

Nadal then squandered a 3-1 lead in the second set and also had to save two set points. But in the end, the Mallorcan prevailed 7-5, 7-5.

"It was a great match, many great points and many breaks, and we fought hard," Nadal told reporters after lifting the trophy. "I had many ups and downs."

The win keeps alive Nadal's streak of winning at least one ATP clay-court title per season, which dates back to 2004. Nadal seems to like playing in Germany. He also won the Stuttgart Open earlier this year - his only other tournament win this season.

Nadal takes home 311,775 euros for the Hamburg win.