Rafael Nadal thrashed Fernando Verdasco 6-0, 6-1 in Sunday’s all-Spanish final to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the sixth straight year and end his title drought.
Nadal clinched his first title since the Rome Masters in May last year by overpowering Verdasco with a stunning display of attacking tennis that sends out a stern warning to his clay-court rivals.
Nadal is the only player to win six consecutive titles in the same tournament since tennis turned professional in 1968, and the 23-year-old is level with top-ranked Roger Federer on 16 Masters titles, one behind Andre Agassi’s record.
PHOTO: EPA
Nadal sealed the win on his first match point with a forehand pass and fell to the ground, rolling on his back as he savored his victory.
“It was emotional for me today, it was my best week for a long time,” Nadal said. “It’s unbelievable, Monte Carlo is my favorite tournament.”
It was Nadal’s 32nd straight win at Monte Carlo since his third-round loss to Guillermo Coria in 2003, and the relief at clinching his 37th career title was evident as he sobbed into a towel when he sat down.
Although Federer was not playing at Monte Carlo, Nadal’s superb win and early form on clay will make him a serious contender to reclaim his French Open title from the Swiss player at Roland Garros when the tournament starts next month.
Verdasco simply had no answers as he lost his 10th straight match to Nadal who did not drop a set during the tournament.
Nadal signaled his intent early by taking Verdasco’s opening service game. In the next game, Nadal’s cross-court pass stunned Verdasco and left him rooted to the spot.
Trailing 5-0, Verdasco lay down on a towel and had massage treatment to his neck and shoulders for several minutes, and when he resumed playing he rolled his neck to loosen it up more.
Nadal had no pity and took the opening set the following game when a forehand from Verdasco went wide.
Verdasco, who has won four career titles but was seeking his first Masters trophy, started the second set aggressively and got a huge roar when he finally held his serve.
Playing his best tennis of the match in the third game, exasperation got the better of Verdasco when Nadal returned a seemingly impossible shot with a dipping forehand cross-court winner, and Verdasco raised his arms in mock celebration as he tried in vain to find some inspiration from the crowd.
There were jeers for Verdasco when he hit a lazy shot into the net as he lost his serve to trail 4-1, but some spectacular rallying in the sixth game got the crowd back on his side.
After winning one long rally, Verdasco dropped to his knees and threw his hands up toward the skies as if to thank the heavens after winning a point.
■FAMILY CIRCLE CUP
REUTERS, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Australian Samantha Stosur crushed Russia’s Vera Zvonareva 6-0, 6-3 in Sunday’s final of the Family Circle Cup.
The fourth seed delivered a ruthless display at Daniel Island to win her fifth successive match against the Russian.
World No. 11 Stosur broke her opponent three times to sweep through the opening set in 18 minutes.
Trailing 0-3 and 15-40 on serve in the second, Zvonareva won her first game of the match.
Although Stosur was broken in the seventh, she immediately broke back for 5-3 before serving out for the title.
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