Petra Kvitova kisses the trophy after her victory in Madrid.

Petra Kvitova swept to a second Madrid Open title and put her recent struggles behind her when she thumped an ailing Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1 6-2 in a hopelessly one-sided final yesterday.

Champion on the clay at the premier event in 2011, the Czech fourth seed’s powerful ground strokes were far too much to handle for the unseeded Kuznetsova, a former world number two who was hampered by a thigh problem.

Kuznetsova took a medical timeout after losing the opening set and returned to the court with strapping on her left thigh before Kvitova, who dispatched world number one Serena Williams in the last four, finished her off in a little over an hour.

“It was an amazing week for me and I am really happy to win for a second time on this beautiful court,” Kvitova told fans at the futuristic Magic Box arena.

“I know that Svetlana wasn’t ready properly and I don’t think she is feeling very well so I wish her good luck,” added the 25-year-old from Bilovec.

Kvitova appears to be getting back to her best again a few weeks before the French Open begins in Paris at the end of this month.

The double Wimbledon champion pulled out of this year’s Indian Wells and Miami events due to exhaustion and suffered a second-round exit on indoor clay in Stuttgart last month.

Yesterday’s success took her career title haul to 16 and she will retain her place at number four in the WTA rankings when they are updated tomorrow, while Kuz-netsova will return to the top 20.

“I am very sorry I couldn’t play a good level of tennis today for you to enjoy but I hope to return next year and play even better,” Kuznetsova, speaking in fluent Spanish, told spectators.

Nadal into final

Holder Rafa Nadal looked something close to his old masterful self on clay again as he crushed Czech Tomas Berdych 7-6(3) 6-1 yesterday to reach the men’s final.

The home favourite, bidding for a third consecutive title in the Spanish capital but still searching his for his best form and consistency, will face Britain’s Andy Murray in today’s final.

Chasing a fifth Madrid title overall, third seed Nadal edged a tight first set before turning the screw in the second to exact revenge for a straight-sets defeat by Berdych in this year’s Australian Open quarter-finals.

Nadal had won 17 consecutive matches against the Czech sixth seed before falling to him in Melbourne and restored his dominance with a solid display that included a series of trademark whipped forehand winners.

“I had to play at a very high level today to have any chance and I think it was without doubt one of the best matches I have played this year,” a jubilant Nadal told Spanish television.

“This week was crucial for me and the fact that I am in the final cannot be improved on given my situation coming into the tournament,” added the 28-year-old.

Other result: Murray bt Nishi-kori 6-3 6-4.