Rafael Nadal feels much more confident about his chances of winning a seventh French Open crown after clinching his eighth successive Monte Carlo title by ending a seven-final losing streak to Novak Djokovic.
Nadal, who came into Monte Carlo with more question marks over whether his suspect knees would bear the stress of another gruelling claycourt campaign, gave the perfect response with a swaggering 6-3 6-1 defeat of world No.1 Djokovic.
The Spaniard’s next assignment is this week’s Barcelona Open where he has been champion in six of seven editions.
But, significantly, his Monte Carlo title was his first on the ATP Tour since winning a sixth French Open last June.
“I am very happy because my knee didn’t restrict my movement. I felt it a little bit but, when you can run after every ball, the pain is never a problem,” said Nadal.
Djokovic was admittedly under-done in Sunday’s 78-minute final, playing with the grief he has borne all week after learning on Thursday of the death of his grandfather in Serbia.
“Djokovic wasn’t the real best Djokovic,” admitted Nadal. “But in other finals that I played against him, I wasn’t my real best, either.”
Nadal’s win was his 42nd in a row at the Mediterranean venue and marks his 47th career trophy. He won a record 20 Masters titles, putting him one ahead of 16-time grand slam champion Roger Federer.
Nadal had said before the match that he was fully prepared to accept a possible eighth consecutive loss to his Serbian rival, who beat him six times in 2011 – including for clay Masters 1000 titles in Madrid and Rome – as well as winning their marathon six-hour Australian Open title match in January.
But with Djokovic suffering, the rout for the Spaniard meant a huge confidence boost as the clay season gains traction heading towards the French Open in Paris next month.
“Monte Carlo is the most beautiful Masters 1000 tournament for me,” said Nadal. “To start the claycourt season winning here is an amazing feeling.
“To beat Novak in a final after losing a few is an important result for me. It was important to break this series and to do it here – it’s perfect.
“To have eight victories, you must be lucky, you have to have no injuries, perfect conditions for eight years in a row. That’s the first thing.
“And you have to be playing almost perfect to win eight titles in a row, especially in a Masters. The best in the world always play – you have to win against the best.”
Djokovic’s grandfather was buried back home in Serbia on Saturday and the world No.1 admitted: “I just didn’t have any emotional energy left in me.
“I was there physically. Game-wise, I was playing OK throughout the week. But it was a bad day. If I wanted to have any chance of winning against Rafa on clay, I needed that extra gear, which I didn’t have.
“I’ve never been caught up in this kind of emotional situation before,” Djokovic said. “I’m just happy to reach the finals really under the circumstances. It’s been a very difficult week for me to go through mentally.”
He has not decided what his schedule will be over the next few days.
“I obviously have to go to visit my grandfather’s grave and see, because I wasn’t there (at the) funeral yesterday,” he said. “So I’ll be there.”
But Djokovic was also rich in his praise for Nadal.
“Fantastic, impressive. The way he’s been treating this sport is a real example of a champion,” Djokovic said, when asked about Nadal’s eight straight wins at Monte Carlo. “I only have nice things to say about him. Every year he comes back and he looks like he’s the first time in this place.”
