Tennis - ATP World Tour – Tagged "Rafael Nadal" – Page 22

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...

Apr 22, 2018

Brain Game: Rafa’s Boisterous Backhand Steals The Show

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...