After saving four sets points, Monfils double faulted to give Nadal the opener. Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco, watching on, Nadal claimed a record-equalling 28th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown and his first for nearly two years.
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Meanwhile, Laura Robson recorded her best victory since wrist surgery two years ago in qualifying for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
Nadal had not won a title in the seven months since his passing away. Nadal, the grinding, grimacing machine, oozed desperation, wrapped in his blanket of mental tics; Monfils – in the 24th final of his career – betrayed his emotional and physical exhaustion without artifice, smiling nervously at each wondrous victor, hands slipping to his knees after every insane miss. “Today was an unbelievably tough match”, the champion said courtside. “I think they also drank a lot of alcohol”, Wawrinka complained. “To win again here after three years is so special for me”.
Rafael Nadal beat second-seeded Andy Murray on Saturday to reach the Monte Carlo Masters final for the first time since 2013.
“I was expecting a hard match, and that is exactly what happened”.
“Congratulations to Rafa”, Monfils said. “I simply couldn’t find an answer”.
Nadal twice dragged himself back from a break down in the second before Monfils somehow summoned the energy to break his opponent for a third time to serve out to level the scores.
That difference was evident in the final set against Monfils on Sunday, when Nadal cruised through without dropping a game.
The 22-year-old beat 117th-ranked Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-3, and needs two more victories to make the main draw. The world No. 38 dominated from the back of the court, hitting 24 winners, including 18 off the forehand wing. He dropped his level a little bit and I was able to come back into the match and end up winning.
Murray felt the umpire was favouring his opponent and, after dropping his serve, hit the ball towards the umpire’s chair in frustration, prompting Dumusois to say “you have zero respect for what I do”.
However, the Frenchman could not maintain the high standard in the decider as fatigue took its toll, with Nadal eventually cruising to a 7-5, 5-7, 6-0 win. “It wasn’t ideal. But apart from the one game at 3-1 in the third, I played good”. “I don’t feel it at all, just on my serve when I push up and land”.
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“I hope I can have a good tournament and take advantage of some players arriving a little exhausted after playing in the past few weeks”. The win was Robillard-Millette’s first of her Fed Cup career.
