TENNIS- Rafael Nadal edged past David Ferrer with 6-4 5-7 6-2 in two hours and 45 minutes taking a re-match for last year’s quarter final where Ferrer knocked out the eight-time “Prince of Monte-Carlo”. Nadal set up a blockbuster semifinal against Novak Djokovic who eased past Marin Cilic 6-0 6-3 to improve his winning streak in their head-to-head matches to 12-0. Diego Sampaolo
Eight-time “Prince of Monte-Carlo” Rafael Nadal battled past David Ferrer in a hard-fought match with 6-4 5-7 6-2 setting up a blockbuster semifinal against 2013 Monte-Carlo champion Novak Djokovic.
Nadal built up a 5-2 lead with a double break in the opening set but Ferrer recovered one of the two breaks. However, Nadal closed out the first set with 6-4 before getting a double break to take a 3-0 in the second set. Nadal looked to be in control of the match. Ferrer needed treatment to cure a blister when he was down a break but he recovered one of the two breaks. Nadal served out for the match at 5-4 but Ferrer broke back for 5-5 by sending a backhand down the line followed by a forehand. Ferrer reeled off three consecutive games and clinched the second set with another break in the 12th game.
Nadal broke early in the third set before getting a double break in the seventh game en route to clinching his 23rd win over Ferrer.
“I think I played at the highest level for a long time, almost three hours. The way I played in the third set after losing after losing a disappointing second set. It was a great third set in terms of tennis, in terms of physical performance, in terms of mentality. In the important points I have been able to play the way that I wanted to play”, said Nadal.
Nadal and Djokovic will square off against for the 43rd time in their careers. Nadal leads 23-19 in their head-to-head matches. They will meet for the fourth time in Monte-Carlo. Nadal beat Djokovic in two finals in 2009 and 2012. Djokovic clinched his first title in the Principality in 2013 breaking Nadal’s winning streak of 46 consecutive matches in the Monte-Carlo Country Club.
Novak Djokovic has extended his winning streak to 28-2 this year with his win over last year’s US Open champion Marin Cilic with 6-0 6-3. Djokovic is bidding to become the first player to win the first three Master 1000 Tournaments of the year after lifting the first two titles at Indian Wells and Miami. He would complete a unique collection which also ncludes his fifth Australian Open last February. Considering that he won the last Master 1000 title in 2014, he could win four Master 1000 in a row.
Djokovic, who has dropped just 12 games in the whole tournament this week, reeled off his first eight games of the match to cruise to 8-0 before Cilic held his serve in the third game of the second set. Cilic fended off two match points at 3-5 in a tight final game of the second set but he did not manage to hold his serve Djokovic closed out the second set with 6-3
Djokovic won 91 percent of his first service points in the first set
“It was probably the best match I’have played so far in the tournament”, said Djokovic.
Gael Monfils dismissed Grigor Dimitrov with 6-1 6-3 following up his biggest win of the season against Roger Federer. Monfils converted all his break point chances
Monfils cruised past Dimitrov after just 22 minutes. The Frenchman took advantage of 22 unforced errors made by Dimitrov. Monfils broke serve three times in the first set to close out the first set after 24 minutes before saving two break points in the third game of the second set with consecutive winning serves. He held serve with a cross court winner before breaking serve in the fourth game for 3-1. “La Monf” pulled away to a 5-2 lead in the second set before clinching the second set with 6-2 after just 58 minutes when Dimitrov was not able to return a forehand attack.
Monfils, who received a wild-card from the organizers after recovering from a right hip injury, will be bidding to reach his second final this year after finishing runner-up to Giles Simon in Marseille and to qualify for his third Master 1000 final after playing two consecutive titles matches in Paris Bercy. He also reached the semifinals in Rome in 2006. This is the best result achieved by La Monf in Monte-Carlo who had not advanced to the quarter finals in his nine previous appearances in Monte-Carlo
Monfils will take on Tomas Berdych who qualified for his third Monte-Carlo semifinal after his quarter final rival Milos Raonic was forced to withdraw because of a foot injury after the Canadiad player was broken for the second time to go down 2-5. Raonic decided to call it a day after a short discussion with the doctor who had a close look at his righr foot.
Berdych reached his previous two semifinals in the Country Club in 2007 (losing to Rafa Nadal) and in 2012 (losing to Novak Djokovic). He has already reached the final in Doha and Rotterdam and the semifinal at the Australian Open this year.
Monfils won just once in his six head-to-head matches against Berdych at the 2013 Roland Garros on clay. The Czech player won their previous two matches played this year in Rotterdam and Miami in two sets.
Doubles tournament:
US twins Bob and Mike Bryan, who won four doubles titles in Monte-Carlo battled past Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez with 6-4 2-6 10-4 after a tough match. Bob and Mike could not fend off any of the three break point chances they faced. They will take on Marcin Markowski and Nenad Zimonjic who beat Benoit Paire and Stan Wawrinka 6-2 6-3
Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli, who won the Australian Open doubles title this year, fought off 8 of his 10 break points to edge Nicholas Mahut and Edouard Roger Vasselin with 7-6 (7-4) 6-2. The Italian team will take on Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo who defeated Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares 6-3 6-4.
