Rafael Nadal produced a timely return to form on grass on Sunday, seeing off Viktor Troicki in the final of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart.

It was the Spaniard's first final on the surface since Wimbledon in 2011 and is sure to fill him with confidence ahead of next week's Aegon Championships and then the third major of the year at the All England Tennis Club.

After a tight first set went to a tie-breaker, Nadal moved through the gears and wrapped up a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 success as Troicki had no answer.

It was Nadal's third victory at this tournament, although his previous triumphs in 2005 and 2007 came on clay, with this year's edition the first to be held on grass.

For Troicki, it was a second ATP final since his return from a 12-month doping ban, but he could not live with Nadal as the world number 10 improved his head-to-head record over the Serb to 5-0.

After Nadal was forced to save a break point early on, the remainder of the first set went with serve.

Serving to stay in the set at 5-4 down, Nadal fell 0-30 behind but recovered his composure to hold and eventually force a tie-break.

The Spaniard romped into a 6-2 lead and, although he wasted one set point with a forehand into the net, a thumping ace down the middle left Troicki motionless and edged Nadal ahead.

The first break of the match came in game four of the second set, as Nadal's power and accuracy earned him a 3-1 advantage.

That became 4-1 with a hold to love and, although Troicki saved two match points, the 14-time major winner sealed victory in emphatic style with a clinical overhead smash to warm up for Wimbledon in perfect fashion.