With Roger Federer suffering an enforced lay-off that will see him miss the entire clay court season, the chance is there for both Rafael Nadal and Novak Dkjokovic to press home their already-commanding lead in the ATP rankings.

In Mexico, Rafael Nadal made it three wins in Acapulco as he smashed all before him, not even dropping a set as he completed a routine series victory that saw him earn the accolade of becoming the third man to win the Mexican Open three times, joining Thomas Muster and David Ferrer to have that honour. Nadal’s record is possibly the most impressive, given that he is now the youngest-ever and oldest-ever champion to win the Mexican Open.

In the final, it was familiar one-way traffic as the 33-year-old Nadal battered his opponent, Taylor Fritz, 6-3, 6-2 in little over an hour. It was relentless, with Nadal slamming returns down at what must have felt like frightening power to Fritz. As Nadal told interviewers after the game, he found the final enjoyable and felt it was important after failing to win the Australian Open.

“After not competing since Australia, it’s an important week for me and an important moment,” he said. “I played with the right intensity and the right passion, and my forehand worked well. It means another good start of the season for me. It gives me confidence, allows me to be in a privileged position in the ATP Race. Regardless of the result, I am always happy after playing here. Now imagine how I am after getting the title!”