TENNIS: Rafael Nadal turns on style to make Madrid Masters final

Rafa Nadal produced a stunning second set performance to take Tomas Berdych apart and make the final of the Madrid Masters.

The Spanish superstar was pushed hard on every point in the opening set, but eventually came through a tie-break - pumping his fist extravagantly, and roaring to his home crowd as he did so.

The nature of the set seemed to pump him up and simultaneously deflate Berdych, with Nadal dissecting the Czech's game in the second set as he ran out a 7-6(4) 6-1 winner.

Nadal will face either Andy Murray or Kei Nishikori in Sunday's final, with the Scottish second seed taking on the Japanese fourth seed on Saturday evening.

"It's one of the best matches that I've played in 2015," said Nadal. "Madrid helped me a lot last season. I needed to change the dynamics."

Chasing a fifth title overall at the claycourt event in the Spanish capital, third seed Nadal edged a tight first set before turning the screw in the second to exact revenge for a straight-sets defeat to the Czech sixth seed in this year's Australian Open quarter-finals.

Nadal had won 17 consecutive matches against Berdych before losing to the world number seven in Melbourne and restored his dominance with a solid display that included a series of trademark whipped forehand winners.

The Mallorcan is the favourite to claim the title after world number one Novak Djokovic decided to miss the event to rest and Roger Federer, who took over from the Serb as top seed, fell to Australian Nick Kyrgios in the second round.

After struggles with injury and illness, Nadal is attempting to rediscover his spark on his favoured surface before he makes a bid for a record-extending 10th French Open singles title in Paris starting at the end of the month.

He won a 46th career clay title in Buenos Aires in February and is just three shy of the record of 49 held by Guillermo Vilas, but was surprisingly beaten at subsequent clay tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

With the sun beating down on centre court in the Magic Box arena, Berdych saved both break points he faced in the opening set but faded badly in the tiebreak.

Nadal punished a series of errors from the 2012 runner-up to open up a 5-1 lead in the second set and sealed victory on his first match point when Berdych sent a return sailing out.