Djokovic snaps Nadal’s Monte Carlo streak to win title

Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Top seed Novak Djokovic defeated eight-time defending champion Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6(1) to capture the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday. Snapping Nadal’s 46-match winning streak at the event, Djokovic has now won all three Masters events on clay. Needing one hour and 52 minutes to seal his victory, Djokovic gained his 15th career victory against Nadal in 34 matches.

The Serb will next see action at the Madrid Masters in Spain, while Nadal will attempt to defend his Barcelona title next week.

Nadal to face Djokovic for Monte Carlo crown

MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS, Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Semifinal results:

(1) Novak Djokovic defeats Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-1; (3) Rafael Nadal defeats (6) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 7-6(3).

Djokovic, Nadal reach Monte Carlo quarterfinals; Murray, Berdych defeated

Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Third-round results:

(3) Rafael Nadal defeats (16) Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-4; (1) Novak Djokovic defeats (14) Juan Monaco 4-6, 6-2, 6-2; (13) Stanislas Wawrinka defeats (2) Andy Murray 6-1, 6-2; (6) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeats Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-0; Grigor Dimitrov defeats Florian Mayer 6-2, 6-4; (7) Richard Gasquet defeats (9) Marin Cilic 7-5, 6-4; Fabio Fognini defeats (4) Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-2.

Nadal begins Monte Carlo title defense in style; Djokovic, Murray prevail

Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Second-round results:

(3) Rafael Nadal defeats Marinko Matosevic 6-1, 6-2; (4) Tomas Berdych defeats Marcel Granollers 7-5, 6-4; (2) Andy Murray defeats Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-1, 6-4; (1) Novak Djokovic defeats Mikhail Youzhny 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; Jurgen Melzer defeats (10) Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-2; Fabio Fognini defeats Albert Ramos 6-3, 7-5; Jarkko Nieminen defeats (12) Milos Raonic 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(3); (9) Marin Cilic defeats Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-3; (13) Stanislas Wawrinka defeats Albert Montanes 6-1, 6-1; Florian Mayer defeats Roberto Bautista Agut 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Dolgopolov, Dimitrov prevail in Monte Carlo openers

Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Monte-Carlo, Monaco

First-round results:

Alexandr Dolgopolov defeats Bernard Tomic 6-2, 6-4; Grigor Dimitrov defeats Xavier Malisse 6-3, 6-2; (16) Philipp Kohlschreiber defeats Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-2.

Tennis Elbow: The lucky number 8

Welcome to Tennis Elbow, a new column that will look back on the week that was in the world of tennis. This week, Charles Blouin-Gascon examines the results of the 2012 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, where Rafael Nadal took home the hardware once again.

He was all but buried, which probably makes his convincing response exactly par for the course.

Ever since Novak Djokovic took over as alpha male of the ATP World Tour at the beginning of the 2011 season, the onus has been on Rafael Nadal to respond. And in April 2012, he finally did.

Nadal beat Djokovic convincingly in the Monte-Carlo final, 6-3 and 6-1, to take home the 2012 Rolex Masters title–his eight in a row at the event, and also his first win over Djokovic in their past 8 matches.

Who said 7 was the lucky number?

Maybe, just maybe, that despite the 2011 season this brave new world in men’s tennis is still the same as the old one.

At the 2012 Rolex Masters, Nadal dictated play throughout the week, most importantly doing so against his recent nemesis in the event’s final. For the most part, the Spaniard was able to avoid giving Djokovic any short ball to attack, especially not on the backhand side. He capitalized on an opponent that was there only physically.

If nothing else, this is the first real threat to Djokovic’s domination. While Nadal knows a thing or two about that, this is new territory for the Serb because in the past 18 months, Djokovic hasn’t had many setbacks.

The Serb was not 100 percent, at least not emotionally, and it showed in Monaco. He’s not the same player when he’s not committed fully to the match at hand and oozing with self-belief–and it wasn’t the case against Nadal. In the end, Djokovic can tell himself that he has gained points from last season when he did not participate in the event. This is to say that there are some positives to this clunker on the part of Djokovic and the family tragedy he endured with the death of his grandfather.

But with the way that the match unfolded, it’s not far-fetched to think that there’s nothing Djokovic could have done even if he had been 100 percent. Because Nadal was the Nadal of old, circa 2008-2010, against whom nobody stands a chance–especially not on clay. He faced a break point in only one game and won 85 and 50 percent of his first-serve and second-serve points respectively–it’s even more impressive to do so against a returner like Djokovic.

Depending on who wins, and how, the Mutua Madrid Open and the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, Nadal could be the favorite heading into Roland Garros at the end of May.

Ultimately, nobody will remember that Djokovic was weak emotionally for the Monte-Carlo final. Every player has dealt with, or will eventually deal with, obstacles or tragedies that hinder his preparation–Nadal, himself, suffered through his parents’ divorce in the 2009 season. It’s weak to use this as an excuse to a lackluster performance. And to his credit, Djokovic hasn’t done that.

There’s only one thing that will go down in history–the lucky number 8 of King Rafa. Maybe 9 will be just as kind to him.

by: Charles Blouin-Gascon

Nadal wins eighth straight Monte Carlo title over Djokovic

Monte Carlo Rolex Masters—Monaco

No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal won his eighth straight Monte Carlo title on Sunday at the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, defeating top seed Novak Djokovic, 6-3, 6-1.

In a match that lasted a mere one hour and 18 minutes, Nadal won 85 percent of his first serve points, struck three aces and broke Djokovic on five occasions.

Snapping a streak of seven consecutive losses to Djokovic, Nadal won his first title since last year’s French Open.

Djokovic, who suffered the loss of his grand father earlier in the week, lacked his usual grit and movement throughout the encounter. Winning 56 percent of his first serve points and 38 percent of second serve points, the top seed didn’t win a game in the second set until he broke Nadal to love in the fifth game.

Winning 42 straight times in Monaco, Nadal will next head to Barcelona for his National Championships. Djokovic is not scheduled to play until his home event in Belgrade in two week’s time.

The Monte Carlo Rolex Masters is the first of three Masters 1000 events on clay heading into the French Open. The Madrid Masters and Roma Masters will be held in May.

Djokovic, Nadal reach finals in Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo Rolex Masters—Monaco

Top seed Novak Djokovic and seven-time defending champion Rafael Nadal reached the finals of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters with semifinal victories on Saturday.

Beginning proceedings on Court Central, Djokovic overcame the loss of the first set for the second time this week to oust No. 6 seed Tomas Berdych, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Berdych, who came out with the power and poise that he’s shown all week, broke Djokovic twice in the first set on the strenght of his blistering pace. Winning 94 percent of his first serve points, the towering Czech seemed all but ready to cause the upset. However, with the experience and confidence that he’s gained throughout the last 18 months, Djokovic stormed back to break Berdych once in the second set and twice in the third set.

Improving to 10-1 against Berdych in lifetime meetings, Djokovic enters his second Monte Carlo final to face his long-time rival Nadal.

Nadal needed one hour and 51 minutes to defeat consistent Frenchman Gilles Simon, 6-3, 6-4.

Earning his 41st straight win in the Principality, Nadal saved all seven break points against his serve, while winning 71 percent of his total service points. Gaining his fifth win against Simon in six meetings, Nadal hasn’t dropped a set in four matches this week.

Leading Djokovic 16-14 in the pair’s head-to-head, Nadal has lost the last seven meetings against the Serb, including two straight set defeats in Madrid and Roma last year.

The world’s top two players will be meeting for the 12th time on clay, with Nadal leading 9-2.

Djokovic will be looking to gain firm control over his Spanish rival on Sunday, while Nadal will be aiming to win his first title since the French Open.

Djokovic, Nadal and Berdych advance to Monte Carlo semifinals

Monte Carlo Rolex Masters—Monaco

Top seed Novak Djokovic backed up his emotional victory on Thursday in Monte Carlo, defeating Dutchman Robin Haase 6-4, 6-2 on Friday to reach the semifinals.

In a match that took one hour and 17 minutes to complete, Djokovic lost his serve on four occasions, but managed to break Haase seven times. Remaining a perfect 3-0 against his smooth opponent, Djokovic took another step forward to his first title in Monaco. The Serb will next face Tomas Berdych, who overcame the loss of the first set for the second straight day to defeat last year’s semifinalist Andy Murray, 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-3.

Berdych, a semifinalist in 2007, will take a 1-8 head-to-head deficit record against Djokovic on Saturday. The Czech defeated Djokovic at Wimbledon in 2010 for his lone victory. The pair have never played on clay-courts.

Elsewhere, seven-time defending champion Rafael Nadal put forth a workmanlike effort to reach his eighth straight semifinal over Stanislas Wawrinka. Improving to 8-0 against the Swiss player, Nadal struck 15 winners and 17 unforced errors. Breaking Wawrinka in the 11th game of the opening set, Nadal smashed his fourth ace on his first match point to advance.

Nadal, who won his 40th straight match in Monaco, will next face Gilles Simon in the final four. Simon ousted No. 4 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-5, 6-4. The diminutive Frenchman overcame a 4-1 deficit in the second set.

Nadal owns a 4-1 lifetime record over Simon. This will be their first clay-court meeting.

Djokovic, Nadal and Murray reach quarterfinals in Monaco

Monte Carlo Rolex Masters—Monaco

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic reached the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday, defeating Alexandr Dolgopolov in an emotional encounter, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.

After learning of the passing of his grand father prior to the match, a somber Djokovic committed 17 unforced errors in the opening set before regrouping in the second set. Improving to 2-0 against Dolgopolov in lifetime meetings, the top seed requested that his post-match press conference by postponed due to emotional and mental fatigue.

The Serb, who is aiming to win his first title in Monaco, will next face Robin Haase, who defeated Thomaz Bellucci, 6-2, 6-3.

Elsewhere, seven-time winner Rafael Nadal cruised into the final eight by dismissing Mikahil Kukushkin, 6-1, 6-1. Grabbing a 3-0 lead after 10 minutes of play, Nadal didn’t lose a game until the fifth game of the opening set. Improving to 2-0 against Kukushkin in their head-to-head meetings, Nadal won his 41st match in Monte Carlo and will next face either Nicolas Almagro or Stanislas Wawrinka.

Last year’s semifinal Andy Murray advanced in comfortable fashion after his opponent Julien Benneteau broke his right elbow during the latter stages of the first set.

Trailing 6-5 in the first set, Benneteau sustained the injury after falling during the 10th game of the match. The Frenchman was rushed to hospital and appeared in his press conference in a sling. No word on the how long Benneteau will be sidelined.

Murray will next face Tomas Berdych, who had a come-from-behind victory against Kei Nishikori, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Other winners on the day included Jo-Wilfried Tsonga reaching the quarters in Monaco for the first time with a 7-6(7), 6-2 victory over Fernando Verdasco, and Gilles Simon taking out Janko Tipsarevic, 6-0, 4-6, 6-1.

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