Fognini stuns Nadal in Monte Carlo

Fabio Fognini ended Rafael Nadal’s winning streak at the Monte Carlo Masters, stunning the defending champion 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the final for the first time and hand Nadal his first defeat in the tournament since a loss to Novak Djokovic in the 2015 semifinals.

Fognini had beaten Nadal twice before on clay, and also once at the U.S. Open in five sets, but this was arguably the most impressive.

“I have the game to play against him,” the 13th-seeded Fognini said. “I had nothing to lose.”

Nadal called it “one of my worst matches in 14 years,” and the 32year-old Spaniard said it was “difficult to find an explanation” for capitulating on his favored clay-court surface.

Yet the defeat could have been even more humiliating for Nadal, who had not lost a set here by 6-0 since the 2005 final.

Fognini came so close to drubbing him in the second set. He served for the match at 5-0 and 40-0, but Nadal saved three match points, broke back and held.

Fognini will face 48th-ranked Dusan Lajovic, who rallied to beat 10th-seeded Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-1 in the other semifinal.

Sloane Stephens beat Timea Bacsinzsky after Viktorija Golubic upset Madison Keys in straight sets, leaving the United States and Switzerland tied 1-1 in their Fed Cup World Group playoff in San Antonio. Stephens is scheduled to play Golubic on Sunday, followed by Keys against Bacsinzsky. If necessary, Sophia Kenin and Jessica Pegula of the United States would play Ylena In-Albon and Conny Perrin in doubles. The winning team moves to the 2020 World Group draw. The losing team is relegated to World Group II.