On this day: Novak Djokovic dethrones Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo
A left knee injury had forced Rafael Nadal to miss the second part of 2012 season but like many times before he bounced back even stronger in 2013, winning ten titles overall including two Grand Slams and five Masters 1000 events to become the year-end no. 1 player for the first time in three years. Nadal returned at Vina del Mar in February where he lost to Horacio Zeballos in a close final before going all the way to win Sao Paulo, Acapulco and Indian Wells, rattling off 18 wins in a row to reach the final in Monte Carlo. Rafa made debut in the Principality ten years ago and had been beaten only once by Guillermo Coria in that 2003 when he was still 16.
Starting from 2005, Nadal had won 46 consecutive matches in Monte Carlo and eight titles, with the streak coming to its end when Novak Djokovic took him down in 2013 Monte Carlo final, beating the Spaniard 6-2, 7-6 in an hour and 52 minutes on April 21 for his first title at this tournament. This was their 34th meeting and the first since Roland Garros ten months ago, with Novak scoring the third win on clay over Rafa, all that after winning just four games in the final of the same tournament 12 months ago. Djokovic had won the Australian Open earlier that season although he struggled to keep that form at Indian Wells and Miami, losing to Juan Martin del Potro and Tommy Haas and not making a great start in Monte Carlo either, having to come from a set down against Mikhail Youzhny and Juan Monaco.
Nonetheless, the Serb defeated both rivals and had a more straightforward job against Nieminen and Fognini to reach the final where he toppled Nadal thanks to an excellent performance on the return. Nadal had broken Djokovic three times but that wasn't enough for a more favorable result, losing serve five times from 12 break points he offered to the Serb and struggling to find the rhythm behind the initial shot despite the fact he landed 72% of the first serve in, also making too many errors. Nothing could separate them in the shortest points and Novak forged the difference in the mid-range and more extended exchanges, controlling the pace from the baseline and overpowering Nadal with his deep and precise groundstrokes that the Spaniard found no answer for, especially in the opening set.
Djokovic made the best possible start, breaking in game two after Nadal wasted a few game points and he held after deuce a few minutes later to open up a 3-0 lead. Nadal struggled to find the pace and Novak created another break point in the fourth game with a crosscourt backhand winner, converting it when Rafa netted a backhand and sending himself 5-0 in front after just 25 minutes with an ace in game five. The Spaniard had to save five set points to avoid an embarrassing bagel in game six and Novak lost his rhythm a little bit, netting an easy forehand to drop serve and allow Nadal to reduce the deficit to 5-2.
The momentum didn't stay on Rafa's side for too long, though, hitting a double fault to drop serve for the third time and hand the opening set to Novak 6-2 after 46 minutes. Djokovic saved two break points in game three of set number two to remain in front but sprayed a backhand error to get broken next time around, trailing for the first time in the entire encounter. Nadal held with a service winner to gain a 4-2 lead before Novak won eight of the following nine points for a smooth service game and to pull the break back in game eight when Nadal's backhand landed long.
The Spaniard had a chance to send the match into a decider when he broke in game 11 although Novak was not to be denied, erasing the deficit with a break at love thanks to a backhand winner to set up a tie break where he was the favorite to close the clash. Rafa made another unforced error to lose a point on serve early on and placed another groundstroke long to find himself 4-1 down. Nothing worked for the Spaniard and Djokovic wrapped up the win with a forehand winner at 6-1, storming over Nadal to clinch the maiden Monte Carlo crown after losing finals to Nadal in 2009 and 2012.
This was the 14th Masters 1000 crown for the Serb and the eighth different trophy from the premium ATP series, missing only Cincinnati to complete the Career Golden Masters, something he would achieve five years later.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2W0UTl8
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