Rafael Nadal: Finishing With A Victory Is The Best Way To Finish, Even If It’s Doubles

Former No. 1 Rafael Nadal didn’t leave the Indian Wells BNP Parisbas Open empty handed. The Spaniard teamed with friend and countryman Marc Lopez to capture the men’s doubles earlier today defeating Americans John Isner and Sam Querrey 62, 76.

Nadal and Lopez never lost a set en route to a second Indian Wells title. And despite his loss to Roger Federer Saturday in the singles semifinals, Nadal was happy with the event.

“Finishing the two weeks with the victory is the best way to finish, even if it’s doubles, not singles,” Nadal said. “I’m playing well and I’m happy about most of the things that happened these past two weeks.”

Rafa and Lopez also won in Doha in 2008 and 2011. Nadal now has eight doubles titles to his name, while Lopez has six.

“We are very close friends so it makes things more easy,” said Nadal. “Our styles of game are closer in doubles than with different partners because we feel comfortable from the baseline, we feel comfortable having some tactics from the net. Just enjoying the doubles for me is very good practice. I’m able to practise the volley, the return, and at the same time, I practise competing.”

Nadal, who hasn’t won a title since the French Open and one on hardcourts since 2010 Tokyo, joins Federer and Novak Djokovic for the Sony Ericsson starting later this week.