Monaco: Rafael Nadal finally managed to beat Novak Djokovic in a final, thrashing the top-ranked Serb 6-3, 6-1 yesterday to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the eighth consecutive year and end a run of seven straight defeats to his rival in title matches.
Nadal broke the Serb's serve five times in a totally one-sided contest. He thrust his hands in the air after clinching victory in style with an ace that flew past Djokovic.
"Congratulations, you deserved to win for how you played this week," Djokovic told Nadal.
It was the Spaniard's first title since last year's French Open and his 42nd straight win in Monte Carlo.
Djokovic, whose grandfather died on Thursday, struggled to find a rhythm. Nadal found his range very quickly and broke Djokovic in the third game when the Serb's backhand went wide.
While Djokovic held his next service game with great difficulty, Nadal won his to love to take a 4-2 lead.
Djokovic was up 40-15 in the next but was surprised when a couple of mistimed returns from Nadal landed just in. That seemed to frustrate the Serb and he gave Nadal another break point with a sloppy backhand that went wide. The Serb saved it and then held with a beautifully weighted drop shot.
Easy break
But Nadal broke him again in the ninth game to take the opening set, with Djokovic yet again planting a backhand wide. Another long backhand in the second set gave Nadal an easy break and he then held to love to take a solid 3-0 lead.
That was soon 4-0 as Nadal won a long rally on break point. Djokovic looked to have won it with a big forehand, but Nadal somehow managed to lob Djokovic at full stretch. The ball landed right at the top of the court, surprising Djokovic, whose hurried return sat up nicely for Nadal to whack another brutal forehand winner. Although Djokovic broke straight back, any thought of a comeback was snuffed out by Nadal when he broke Djokovic back to love.
