After an exciting start to the European clay-court season at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, the clay swing continues in Barcelona and Budapest. World No. 1 Rafael Nadal leads the field at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, with three other Top 10 players as well as Novak Djokovic looking to challenge the 10-time champion. Frenchman Lucas Pouille, who won in Montpellier and advanced to the final in Marseille and Dubai earlier this year, is the top seed and defending champion at the Gazprom Hungarian Open. There is once again a strong field in the tournament's second year. View Draws: Barcelona | Budapest 10 THINGS TO WATCH IN BARCELONA 1) Best in Barcelona: Ten-time champion Rafael Nadal and former World No. 1...
1. Rafa Is Rafa-ing, Again The best is getting even better. World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, having won his 11th Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters title on Sunday (d. Nishikori), is now the all-time leader in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns. Nadal has 31 titles at the prestigious level. He had been even with Novak Djokovic at 30. Watch: Rafa Wins 11th Monte-Carlo Title ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Title Leaders Player Masters 1000 Titles Monte-Carlo Titles (1) Rafael Nadal 31 11 (2) Novak Djokovic 30 2 (3) Roger Federer 27 0 (4) Andre Agassi 17 0 (5) Andy Murray 14 0 With two more clay-court Masters 1000 tournaments in the near future – Madrid, Rome – Nadal could very well...
Just three months after making his return to competitive action on the ATP Challenger Tour in Newport Beach and Dallas, Kei Nishikori reminded the tennis world of his abilities with a hard-fought run to the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters final this week. The former World No. 4, who was forced to shut down his 2017 ATP World Tour season with a wrist injury last August, navigated a tough draw in the Principality, defeating Tomas Berdych, Marin Cilic and Alexander Zverev in three-set battles en route to the championship match (l. to Nadal). “This week [is] going to help a lot with my confidence,” revealed Nishikori. “I think I've been playing well this week, and I think I'm almost there, [at my...
Normally, it’s Rafael Nadal’s run-around forehand that steals the spotlight as he prodigiously racks up titles in Monte-Carlo. Not so today. This time it was the backhand that stole the show. Nadal defeated Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-2, crushing a backhand winner cross-court on match point to notch a record 11th victory at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. The scorching backhand was the perfect icing on the cake. Nishikori’s strategic intentions to attack Nadal’s backhand was obvious early on, as the Spaniard hit 17 in his opponent’s opening service game of the match. Nadal committed three backhand errors in that game, but would then successfully make 26 consecutive backhands to find himself leading 5-2 in the opening set. The insurmountable lead was...
