Rafael Nadal of Spain poses with the Ion Tiriac's trophy after winning the Madrid Open final tennis match against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland in Madrid, May 12, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

MADRID - Rafael Nadal sped to victory in the final of the Madrid Open this Sunday as he defeated number 16 seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4.

The number 5 seed showed he is still a force to be reckoned with on his favored red clay surface as he took his third Madrid Open title in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

Nadal raced into a 4-0 lead in the first set against a rival, who appeared tired and who also needed treatment for a rib problem.

Wawrinka salvaged two service games, but Nadal held his next two serves to take the first set in just 31 minutes.

The first four games of the second set went with serve as Wawrinka tried to take the game to Nadal, but the Spaniard appeared to have taken a decisive break in the fifth game. Wawrinka showed his fighting spirit to break back and take the set to 3-3 only to lose the next game as he committed a double fault at exactly the wrong moment.

That allowed Nadal to move 4-3 ahead and that soon became 5-3 as he held his serve.

Wawrinka held his serve and that left Nadal serving for the title: although he lost the first point, he won the next four to win match in 1 hour and 11 minutes.

"I am really happy and maybe this win is more special because of where I have been after last season. It's couldn't be better," said Nadal, who had thrown himself onto the clay in joy after winning the final point.

"I want to congratulate 'Stan' for his excellent week here. The only way to win these games is to play well against them. They have been intense games," he said.