Djokovic extends Masters 1000 level winning streak to 17 with Monte Carlo Title
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
Novak Djokovic has won four consecutive ATP Masters 1000 level tournaments (Paris 2014, Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo 2015) and has a 17 match winning streak in those tournaments, as he claimed his second Monte Carlo title with a 7-5 4-6 6-3 win over Tomas Berdych. The title is the 23rd at the Masters level for Djokovic.
Novak got off to a hot start, and was up a set and 3-2, but the match was interrupted by rain, and Berdych was able to regain his footing and force a third set. Djokovic would win just 1 game after the rain delay in the second set, but he gathered himself in the third, and though he had some headaches closing the match out, he was up 4-0 at one point, and the result was never really in doubt, though he had to drag himself to the finish line. Djokovic improved to 19-2 in his career against Berdych, while Berdych dropped to 0-3 in ATP finals in 2015.
Djokovic didn’t drop a set before the final this week, he beat Albert Ramos, Andreas Haider-Maurer, Marin Cilic, and Rafael Nadal in the process of making the final. He threw up baked goods against Ramos, Haider-Maurer, and Cilic, and while Nadal showed flashes of his clay court genius at times in their semifinal match, he lacked the consistency that Novak has these days, and the depth and pace that Djokovic was pushing Nadal with was enough to get the job done with a couple of breaks. The result will continue the discussion about who is best on clay right now, and Djokovic is winning the argument, though Nadal is clearly number 2, as he vexed another solid clay court contender, David Ferrer, in 3 sets in the quarterfinals.
Berdych, who has been on fire against all but the elite players this year, and has clearly made strides with his game, though they have failed to translate in key moments, beat Sergiy Stakhovsky, Roberto Bautista Agut, Milos Raonic (ret.) and Gael Monfils without dropping a set this week. Monfils had a solid tournament in front of home fans, as he upset Roger Federer, and also beat Alex Dolgopolov and Grigor Dimitrov on the week. The talented but streaky Frenchman will be a player to watch out for the rest of the clay court season.
The Bryan brothers beat Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini, who continue their remarkable chemistry in doubles, for the MC doubles title.
