Nadal wins Monte Carlo Masters
MONTE CARLO (Reuters) – Rafael Nadal ended his four-year wait for a ninth Monte Carlo Masters title by defeating Gael Monfils 7-5, 5-7, 6-0 on Sunday in his 100th career final.
Nadal won eight consecutive titles before losing the 2013 final to Novak Djokovic and, after struggling for fitness in recent years, he demonstrated his return to form by overwhelming the home favorite in the third set to win his 28th Masters title.
“Monte Carlo has been one of the most special places in my career,” Nadal told the crowd on receiving the trophy.
“It was a pleasure to play back here again and in a final.
“It’s been a special week for me, winning here in Monte Carlo is so special,” he added. “See you next year.”
Monfils, seeded 13th and looking to become the tournament’s first French winner since Cedric Pioline, started strongly, exchanging consecutive break points with Nadal, before losing the first set 7-5.
Monfils broke Nadal to take an early 2-1 lead in the second, but the Spaniard broke back to level at 4-4 before Monfils wrestled back the initiative to take the set.
Nadal dominated the final set, however, breaking Monfils, who appeared drained by his earlier exertions, three times to win his first Masters title since 2014 and his 48th clay crown.
Meanwhile, Netherlands’ dream run in the Fed Cup ended agonizingly short of the final when it lost the deciding doubles rubber of a thrilling semifinal against France in Trelaze.
When Kiki Bertens beat Kristina Mladenovic to put the Dutch 2-1 ahead on Sunday the visitors had one foot in the final but Caroline Garcia leveled it up by beating 257th-ranked Arantxa Rus in straight sets.
Mladenovic and Garcia then teamed up to beat Bertens and Richel Hogenkamp, coming from a set down to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in a nail-biting climax to the weekend.
France has reached its first final since 2005 where it will be up against the Czech Republic, which also needed a final doubles rubber to win in Switzerland.
The Netherlands were unbeaten since 2013 despite a team full of lower-ranked players, beating Australia last year to reach the World Group and stunning Russia in the first round.
Four-times champion Italy was relegated from the World Group for the first time in 18 years after losing 4-0 in a playoff with Spain which returns to the elite after a two-year absence.
Belarus caused an upset by beating Russia 3-1 in its World Group playoff, meaning the Russians are also relegated from the top group for the first time in 18 years.