Nadal wins Monte Carlo Masters for 10th time

[April 24, 2017]  The Sports Xchange

Rafael Nadal added more milestones to the career ledger on Sunday when he soared past fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Sunday to win the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters at Monaco.

The 6-1, 6-3 victory over Ramos-Vinolas gave Nadal his 10th Monte Carlo title, making him the first man in the Open Era (since 1968) to win 10 titles at any one tournament. It also was his record 50th clay-court crown, snapping a tie with Guillermo Vilas.

"It really is unbelievable," Nadal said afterward. "To win 10 times at such an important event like Monte Carlo, it's something difficult to describe my feelings.

"I feel lucky to keep playing tennis and being healthy all those years, in order to compete in one of the most beautiful events of the year, without a doubt. I am very happy to win another one. For me, it is a very important day in my career."

The title was the first ATP crown of the season for the fourth-seeded Nadal and the 70th championship of his career, fifth most all-time.

The 30-year-old Nadal has been splendid this season with a 24-5 record and has reached four finals -- one being the epic loss to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final.

"For me, it's important to feel myself being competitive every week that I am playing," Nadal said. "That's what happened since the beginning of the season. That makes me happy. If I am healthy and I feel myself competitive, I am happy.

"Then it's obvious I would like to win. But I know if I am in finals of important events, the normal thing is I finally win titles. ... Today I won a very important title for me."

The 15th-seeded Ramos-Vinolas was a finalist at Monte Carlo for the first time but wasn't able to give Nadal much of a fight.

Nadal rolled to the first-set victory in 30 minutes but wasn't as sharp in the second and the door was open for Ramos-Vinolas when he trailed 4-3 in the second set.

Nadal lost his first two service points in the following game before recomposing himself and winning for a 5-3 lead. He secured the 76-minute match on a double fault by Ramos-Vinolas to repeat as champion.

His other eight Monte Carlo titles came in a row, from 2005-12.

"For me, the first one here was so special," Nadal said. "When I was a kid, I always wanted to play in Monte Carlo. In Spain, Monte Carlo is a very important event in tennis, one of the top (events) of the year.

"The real thing is since the first time I came here in 2003, I have had very positive feelings. Winning in 2005 against (Guillermo) Coria in that final was an unbelievable moment for me. ... After that, I was confident enough to keep going, winning in Barcelona, in Rome, then in Roland Garros."

Ramos-Vinolas enjoyed a good week on the shores of Monte Carlo as he defeated top-seeded Andy Murray and fifth-seeded Marin Cilic on his way to the final. He is expected to crack the Top 20 in the rankings on Monday for the first time.

"I think that he was a little bit better in everything," Ramos-Vinolas said after the match. "He has a little bit more power than me. When he's a little bit better in everything, it's what we saw in the match.

"But tennis is like this. You have some days with results you didn't expect, then you come back to reality. Today he put me back to reality."

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