Hamburg title Nadal's

Top seed Rafael Nadal won the Hamburg clay court title on Sunday beating Italian eighth seed Fabio Fognini in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5.

Nadal had been beaten twice previously this season by the experienced Fognini, in Rio de Janeiro and then in Barcelona.

But he gained his revenge in the northern German city, recovering from being broken in the very first game of a tight opening set and eventually clinching the title on his first match point after more than two and a half hours on court.