Thomas Siniecki, Media365: published on Tuesday April 12, 2022 at 11:58 p.m.
Winner of Roland-Garros on thirteen occasions, it was in Monte-Carlo that Rafael Nadal then registered his name most often on the list. Back to the eleven victories of the Spaniard, absent on the Rock for the first time in 2022.
2005
A few weeks before the first of his thirteen victories at Roland-Garros, Rafael Nadal is already warning the tennis world in Monte-Carlo, another promised land. While the finals of the Masters Series – former name of the Masters 1000 – are still disputed in three winning sets, the Spaniard plays the title holder William Coria in four sets (6-3, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5) after eliminating Richard Gasquet in the semis. The first major trophy of his career at 18, the fourth in total (out of 91).
2006
It is the sixth act of the greatest rivalry in the history of tennis, the second only on clay after the semi-final of Roland-Garros the previous season: Rafael Nadal is already tirelessly playing Roger Federer in four sets (6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 7-6), while Arnaud Clément had been his victim in the first round. He will then continue with a new victory against the Swiss at Roland-Garros.
2007
The final may now be played in two winning sets, but that’s the only thing that changes in the scenario. Rafael Nadal still has Roger Federer, this time in two sets (6-4, 6-4). His sixth victory in as many meetings on earth, a series that will be stopped in Hamburg the following month. But the hat-trick of Monte-Carlo will again exactly precede that of Roland-Garros, still ahead of Roger Federer.
2008
And four on the Rock, three in a row against Roger Federer who lost in two tighter sets than usual (7-5, 7-5). In the second round, the world No. 2 is notably down 4-0, which does not prevent him from being stunning to avoid the trap of a decisive third set. More overwhelming than ever, he did not lose a single set for the second year in a row – before going to validate the same magic square again at Roland-Garros, still against Roger Federer.
2009
Unlike Paris, Rafael Nadal – world No. 1 and crowned with his fabulous Wimbledon the previous season – does not stumble in Monte Carlo in his quest for five in a row. But a certain Novak Djokovic comes to give him a bit of a hard time in the final, winning the second set (6-3, 2-6, 6-1). It’s his first round lost in the tournament in three years, Andy Murray also failed to do so in the semi-finals.
2010
At the height of his voracity on ocher, Rafael Nadal humiliates Ferdinand Verdasco in the final, leaving only a crumb of play to his compatriot (6-0, 6-1). He had already done the same in his first two rounds, against the unfortunate Thiemo de Bakker and Michael Berrer. It is the 37th title of the Spaniard’s career, in a year that will see him take over the world No. 1 spot from Roger Federer after his fifth title at Roland-Garros.
2011
For his second final in Monte-Carlo as world No. 1, Rafael Nadal does not waver by once again dismissing a compatriot, David Ferrer (6-4, 7-5), to win the 44th title of his career. Victorious over Gasquet in the round of 16, the Mallorcan conceded his only set of the week against Andy Murray in the semi-finals (6-4, 2-6, 6-1). Imperturbable, he will glean a sixth Roland-Garros in stride.
2012
The absolute master of Monte-Carlo completes a remarkable rollercoaster with style, crushing Novak Djokovic in two small sets (6-3, 6-1) the day after his victory in the semis against Gilles Simon. The Serb will not succeed on earth that season against his new best enemy, no more in Rome than at Roland-Garros. Rafael Nadal does not know it yet, but it is therefore the end of his dynasty on the Rock.
2016
Succeeding in keeping the thread at Roland-Garros in 2013 and 2014, the Spaniard did not manage to do so in Monte-Carlo, for three years in a row. Defeated by Novak Djokovic in the final, then by Ferrer in the quarters and again by Novak Djokovic in the semis, Rafael Nadal finally found his way against Gael Monfils, not without giving up a set (7-5, 5-7, 6-0). Andy Murray, future No. 1, was his victim in the semis. The year 2015 therefore remains his only full season without winning either Roland-Garros or Monte-Carlo.
2017
Back at his best, the 30-year-old “Bull of Manacor” flies over his subject. Dropping a set to Kyle Edmund for his entry into the running (6-0, 5-7, 6-3), he goes on walks ahead of Alexander Zverev (6-1, 6-1), Diego Schwartzman (6-4, 6 -4), David Goffin (6-3, 6-1) and Albert Ramos in the final (6-1, 6-3). A few months later, he will again become world No. 1 for the first time since 2013.
2018
Still world No. 1, even if Roger Federer had been there for two months, Rafael Nadal conceded only one set in more than three lost games, in the semi-finals against Grigor Dimitrov (6-4, 6-1) . In the quarters, Dominic Thiem is ridiculed (6-0, 6-2) and Kei Nishikori does not weigh much less in the final (6-3, 6-2). Forfeited in 2022, he remains on two eliminations against Fabio Fognini in 2019 (6-4, 6-2 in half) and Andrey Rublev in 2021 (6-2, 4-6, 6-2 in quarters).
