STUTTGART, July 24: French Open winner Rafael Nadal captured his eighth title of the season when defeating Gaston Gaudio 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to win the ATP event on Sunday.

This was the 19-year-old Spaniard’s 34th consecutive claycourt win and it put him to within six of equalling Thomas Muster’s all-time record of 40 set in 1995.

Honours for Gonzalez

AMERSFOORT (the Netherlands): Wimbledon quarter-finalist Fernando Gonzalez of Chile beat Argentina’s Agustin Calleri 7-5, 6-3 to land the ATP claycourt title on Sunday.

Dent dumps Rusedski

INDIANAPOLIS (Indiana): Power server Taylor Dent rained down 14 aces to crush a tiring Greg Rusedski 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday to book a place in the ATP Indianapolis Championship’s first all-American final since 1992.

Fourth-seed Dent won a rare meeting between serve-and-volley players in 70 minutes as 31-year-old Briton Rusedski ran out of gas after a lengthy quarterfinal victory the night before.

Dent will face friend Robby Ginepri in the final. Ginepri overcame Slovak 10th seed Karol Beck 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.

Morigami in final

CINCINNATI: Japan’s Akiko Morigami ignored a delay due to a lighting failure to upset fourth seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday and advance to the final.

Morigami plays her first career WTA final against Swiss top seed Patty Schnyder, who beat 20-year-old American qualifier Bethanie Mattek 6-4, 6-1.—Agencies