Spanish Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning the final match against compatriot David Ferrer during the Barcelona Open tennis tournament in Barcelona. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

Rafael Nadal achieved the 501st win of his career as a professional tennis player as he defeated fellow Spaniard David Ferrer to win the Conde Godo tournament in Barcelona on Sunday.

The Mallorcan born tennis ace defeated Ferrer 6-2, 6-4 in a match in which the result was only once in doubt to win his 31st clay court tournament.

Nadal struggled to hold his serve on a chilly Barcelona afternoon and saw Ferrer break his service on three occasions.

After a straightforward first set, Nadal found himself trailing by 4-2 in the second set and it looked as if the match would need a third set to decide the champion.

It was then that the World number one showed his power and despite training 40-15 in the seventh game of the set, he fought back to take that game and then the next three to claim the set and the match.

Nadal was always favorite to win the Conde Godo, a competition played close to where he has spent a lot of time training in the nearby village of San Cugat de Valles.

His win over Ferrer merely serves to demonstrate his position as the best player in Spain and follows on from his triumph in Monte Carlo last week as he prepares for the French Open next month in Paris.