Rafael Nadal sees himself returning to his usual clay-court level after posting straight-sets wins to reach the Madrid final.
Nadal defeated Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals and then beat fellow Spaniard Robert Bautista Agut, 6-4, 6-3, to advance to his sixth Madrid final.
"After a great match yesterday, I have the confirmation today that the improvement is real. It's very good news for me. I think for moments I played great tennis against an opponent that is playing really well and improving a lot," he said after winning his semifinal.
"I think I'm playing well with my forehand and defending very well. Especially when I have a short ball, my forehand is dangerous again."