Mercedes Cup: Bopanna-Mergea win doubles title, Nadal off to winning start on grass

Stuttgart, Germany: Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea won their second title of the season together as they rallied to beat Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares in the final of the Mercedes Cup as the grass-court season picks up pace. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal defeated Viktor Troicki 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 on Sunday to become the first man to win clay and grass titles at the Stuttgart Open. [caption id=“attachment_2295466” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Nadal got back to winning ways, winning a unique double at Stuttgart. AFP Photos.[/caption] The Spanish top seed set another minor career record, adding the grass honours to his clay successes in 2005 and 2007 at the Weissenhof Club. Stuttgart switched to grass from this edition in order to become part of the new three-week Wimbledon run-up. Nadal’s 66th careeer title marked his second this season after claiming a trophy on South American clay last February. The Spaniard now owns four grass titles including two at Wimbledon and 2008 Queen’s Club, London. Nadal finished with 11 aces as he beat Troicki for the fifth time. SECOND TITLE FOR BOPANNA: The fourth-seeded Indo-Romanian pair eked out a 5-7 6-2 10-7 win over the third seeded Austrian-Brazilian team in one hour and 11 minutes. Bopanna and Mergea had the Madrid Masters last month. Individually, it was fourth title of the season for Bopanna, having won trophies in Dubai and Sydeny with Canadian partner Daniel Nestor. After losing the first set, following a break of serve, Bopanna and Mergea cam back strong as they did not face a single breakpoint in the second set and broke their rivals twice to force a Match tie Breaker. AGENCIES (PTI, AFP)