Nishikori eases to Barcelona Open title

Barcelona: Japan`s Kei Nishikori sealed his fifth career ATP title and first on clay on Sunday with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Colombian Santiago Giraldo to claim the Barcelona Open.

Nishikori, who was playing for the first time on clay this week under new coach and former French Open champion Michael Chang, becomes the first non-Spaniard to win the event since 2002. Giraldo was playing in just his second career final on the tour and his inexperience showed as Nishikori dictated from the off and broke three times on his way to taking the first set. More of the same was to come in the second set as Nishikori raced out to a 5-1 lead before serving out for the championship. Top seed and eight-time champion Rafael Nadal was knocked out by Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro in the quarter-finals.