In some ways, not much has changed for Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic since the 2016 Mutua Madrid Open. A year later, both men still sit atop the Emirates ATP Rankings, and this year, just like last, the Scot and the Serbian are among the favourites to win the season's second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament on clay. But in other ways, much is different for the World No. 1 and No. 2, as both players head to this week's Mutua Madrid Open seeking similar reboots to their 2017 campaigns if they plan to keep their comfortable advantages atop the Emirates ATP Rankings. Djokovic, the 2016 Madrid champion, will be defending 1,000 Emirates ATP Rankings points, and Murray, last...
In what has been a career full of frameable moments, years from now, Sunday afternoon should still stand out to Rafael Nadal. It could also prove to be the launch pad to his return to year-end World No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. His 10th Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters crown. His 29th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title. His 43rd “Big Title”, which inches him closer to longtime rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. But Nadal's first title of 2017 might only be part of the prelude to what could be one of the Spaniard's best years on the ATP World Tour. Nadal is currently second in the Emirates ATP Race To London, a calendar-year points race that started in...
Rafael Nadal is a master illusionist. He makes us think he dominates the longer rallies. He makes us focus on his athletic side-to-side movement. We see the “Spanish X” practice drill when he competes, moving up and back in the Deuce and Ad court, hitting a medley of forehands and backhands. It's all just an illusion. Rafael Nadal defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-3 in the final of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Sunday by dominating the short points en route to winning a record-setting 10th Monaco title in just 76 minutes. You would naturally think that two Spanish clay-court specialists competing at sea-level on a cool, overcast afternoon would grind and grind, and grind some more. This match simply didn’t materialise...
Relive the best of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, which ended with Rafael Nadal winning his 10th Monte-Carlo title. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com. Photo: Realis
