<p>Nadal, who failed to win a set in three defeats at the ATP World Tour Finals last week, clearly relished a return to his favourite clay surface as he overwhelmed Berdych in the sort of style that brought him four French Open titles. <br /><br />Nadal was two points from losing the first set but edged it and then hit top form to win in two hours 28 minutes. <br /><br />Berdych had his chances in the first set of the opening singles rubber but could not capitalise from 5-4, 0-30, and Nadal eventually found his feet on the slow clay. The six-time Grand Slam champion stormed through 13 games in a row as he took charge to the delight of the packed crowd at the Palau Sant Jordi, who cheered him all the way.<br /><br />David Ferrer faced Czech Radek Stepanek in the day's second rubber, with the doubles to come on Saturday and the reverse singles on Sunday. <br /><br />Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez are scheduled to take on Lukas Dlouhy and Jan Halek in the doubles, although team captains Albert Costa and Jaroslav Navratil can alter their line-ups up to one hour prior to the match. <br /><br />Spain are the defending champions and three-times winners. The Czechs won the competition for the only time, as Czechoslovakia, in 1980.</p>
<p>Nadal, who failed to win a set in three defeats at the ATP World Tour Finals last week, clearly relished a return to his favourite clay surface as he overwhelmed Berdych in the sort of style that brought him four French Open titles. <br /><br />Nadal was two points from losing the first set but edged it and then hit top form to win in two hours 28 minutes. <br /><br />Berdych had his chances in the first set of the opening singles rubber but could not capitalise from 5-4, 0-30, and Nadal eventually found his feet on the slow clay. The six-time Grand Slam champion stormed through 13 games in a row as he took charge to the delight of the packed crowd at the Palau Sant Jordi, who cheered him all the way.<br /><br />David Ferrer faced Czech Radek Stepanek in the day's second rubber, with the doubles to come on Saturday and the reverse singles on Sunday. <br /><br />Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez are scheduled to take on Lukas Dlouhy and Jan Halek in the doubles, although team captains Albert Costa and Jaroslav Navratil can alter their line-ups up to one hour prior to the match. <br /><br />Spain are the defending champions and three-times winners. The Czechs won the competition for the only time, as Czechoslovakia, in 1980.</p>
