<p>Rafael Nadal claimed a fifth title since his return from injury when the Spanish World No 5 dismissed 15th-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4 to win the Madrid Open on Sunday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Nadal was sidelined for seven months by a knee problem and since his return in February has won the events at Sao Paulo, Acapulco, Indian Wells, Barcelona and now Madrid. <br /><br />He also reached the final at Vina del Mar and Monte Carlo and Sunday’s success was his third at the Masters event in the Spanish capital. <br /><br />Wawrinka, who came through gruelling matches against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Tomas Berdych on the way to his second Masters final, never looked like claiming a first win against Nadal at the ninth attempt. <br /><br />Nadal broke his serve three times in the match and did not face a single break point himself and collapsed on to his back in celebration when Wawrinka went long with a backhand to hand the Spaniard victory. <br /><br />“Maybe this win is even more special given where I have come back from,” Nadal said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster La Sexta. <br /><br />World No 1 Serena Williams racked up the 50th title of her illustrious 18-year career when she thumped Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-4 to defend her Madrid Open crown on Sunday. <br /><br />Williams’ victory, her fourth tournament success of 2013 and only the seventh on clay since she turned pro in 1995, prevented Sharapova from leapfrogging her to the top of the rankings. <br /><br />It also showed the 31-year-old American, a 15-times Grand Slam singles champion, is on red-hot form as she prepares her bid to add to her sole French Open title at Roland Garros starting later this month. “It's not the ultimate title, but it's a good start in the right direction,” Williams, who was upset by Virginie Razzano in the first round at Roland Garros last year, told a news conference.</p>
<p>Rafael Nadal claimed a fifth title since his return from injury when the Spanish World No 5 dismissed 15th-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4 to win the Madrid Open on Sunday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Nadal was sidelined for seven months by a knee problem and since his return in February has won the events at Sao Paulo, Acapulco, Indian Wells, Barcelona and now Madrid. <br /><br />He also reached the final at Vina del Mar and Monte Carlo and Sunday’s success was his third at the Masters event in the Spanish capital. <br /><br />Wawrinka, who came through gruelling matches against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Tomas Berdych on the way to his second Masters final, never looked like claiming a first win against Nadal at the ninth attempt. <br /><br />Nadal broke his serve three times in the match and did not face a single break point himself and collapsed on to his back in celebration when Wawrinka went long with a backhand to hand the Spaniard victory. <br /><br />“Maybe this win is even more special given where I have come back from,” Nadal said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster La Sexta. <br /><br />World No 1 Serena Williams racked up the 50th title of her illustrious 18-year career when she thumped Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-4 to defend her Madrid Open crown on Sunday. <br /><br />Williams’ victory, her fourth tournament success of 2013 and only the seventh on clay since she turned pro in 1995, prevented Sharapova from leapfrogging her to the top of the rankings. <br /><br />It also showed the 31-year-old American, a 15-times Grand Slam singles champion, is on red-hot form as she prepares her bid to add to her sole French Open title at Roland Garros starting later this month. “It's not the ultimate title, but it's a good start in the right direction,” Williams, who was upset by Virginie Razzano in the first round at Roland Garros last year, told a news conference.</p>