Tennis-Nadal outlasts Tsitsipas to claim 12th Barcelona Open title

Tennis - ATP 500 - Barcelona Open - Real Club de Tennis Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain - April 25, 2021 Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates with the trophy after winning the Barcelona Open against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas REUTERS/Albert Gea

(Reuters) - Rafa Nadal saved a match point before defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 6-7(6) 7-5 to claim a record-extending 12th Barcelona Open title on Sunday, ending his Greek opponent's nine-game unbeaten start to the European claycourt swing.

Having collected his first title of the 2021 season, Nadal, 34, will leapfrog Russian Daniil Medvedev to take back the world number two spot in the updated ATP rankings on Monday.