TENNIS DAVIS CUP:RAFAEL NADAL rediscovered his top form at the right time to brush aside Tomas Berdych and give Spain the early advantage in their Davis Cup final defence against the Czech Republic in Barcelona yesterday.

Nadal edged a tight first set then went on to win 13 consecutive games before wrapping up a 7-5, 6-0, 6-2 win in the sort of style that brought him four French titles on clay.

It was just the lift the Spanish supporters were hoping for and made the hosts, who finished the day two up, firm favourites to retain their crown.

The notoriously inconsistent Berdych acquitted himself well in a tight first set, his big first serves keeping Nadal at bay until the 11th game when the Spaniard grabbed his third break point chance by forcing Berdych to hit a forehand long.

After that there was no stopping Nadal, who blasted through the second set and went 4-0 up in the third as Berdych wilted and even the crowd in the Palau Sant Jordi became muted such was the one-sided nature of the affair.

Berdych rallied a little, finally winning a game when Nadal forced a backhand wide, and serving out again to reduce the deficit for 5-2 before Nadal typically made no mistake in serving for the match.

Nadal, who failed to win a set in three defeats at the ATP World Tour Finals last week, clearly relished a return to his favourite clay surface.

David Ferrer beat Czech Radek Stepanek 1-6 2-6 6-4 6-4 8-6 in the day’s other rubber, with the doubles to come today and the reverse singles tomorrow.

Spain are the defending champions and three-times winners. The Czechs won the competition for the only time, as Czechoslovakia, in 1980.