MADRID (AP):

Roger Federer showed he's recovered from his emotional Australian Open loss to Rafael Nadal by beating the top-ranked Spaniard 6-4, 6-4 yesterday to win his first title of the season at the Madrid Open.

Second-ranked Federer broke a sluggish Nadal once in both sets before firing his sixth ace of the match for his 15th Masters Series title on the second match point.

Federer also won here in 2006 when the event was played on indoor hard court.

No positives

"There are no positives, there is little to analyse," said Nadal, the 2005 champion. "He broke and broke and I went home."

It was only Federer's second victory over his top rival on clay, with the other coming at the Hamburg final two years ago.

The victory also ended Federer's five-match losing run to Nadal, a streak in which he lost finals at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Australia.

Federer called his first win over Nadal since the 2007 Masters Cup "very satisfying", especially after being left in tears in February following his defeat to Nadal at Melbourne.

"I thought I took all the right decisions today. In the end it was a perfect game for me," the Swiss player said after drawing even with Nadal in Masters titles. "(You) stay positive and I did. I got the win I needed badly."

The women's title

Earlier, top-ranked Dinara Safina of Russia beat Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-4 to win the women's title.

Safina overpowered her 18-year-old opponent with 24 winners and three break points for her 11th career title.

"Since I became No. 1 I'm playing better and better," the 23-year-old Safina said.