Rafael Nadal routed Croatia’s Marin Cilic 6-1 6-2 to advance to the Mexican Open final.
Seeking his first title this season and 70th overall, the 30 year-old Spaniard ran his Mexican Open winning streak to 14 matches and 28 straight sets with a clinical demolition of the former US Open champion.
Nadal was in control from the off, sprinting away to a 5-0 leads as Cilic struggled to settle. The Croat did get on the board at the end of the set, but the damage was already done.
Nadal broke at the start of the second, before Cilic found his feet started to test Nadal’s serve. The 2013 champion held on, before he broke again to seal a 5-2 lead. In the end Nadal served out the match – and booked his place in the final – in one hour 23 minutes.
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The second-seeded Nadal, playing his first tournament since losing to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final, last won a hardcourt title in January 2014 in Doha. He will play the winner of the other semi-final between Nick Kyrgios and Sam Querrey.
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