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Rafael
Nadal once again confirmed his supremacy on clay, by claiming the Monte
Carlo Masters tournament for the seventh time on Sunday, by beating
compatriot, David Ferrer in two straight sets of 6-4 and 7-5. That was
the world number one’s first Masters 1000 tournament in 2011. He had
lost in Indian Wells and Miami to Novak Djokovic, who was however
absent with an injury from Monte Carlo.

Nadal, thus enters
the history books as the first man in the Open era to win the same
tournament on seven successive occasions. A comfortable service in the
12th game of the second set saw the Spaniard take the match and the
title but not before Ferrer had broken in the ninth game to lead
briefly 5-4. At 24, Nadal has now won 44 titles.

There was three
breaks each in the first and second sets with Nadal breaking in the
third and fifth games of the first and in the third and 11th game in
the second set.

Record breaker

The 24-year-old
increased his Monte Carlo record to 39-1 with 37 consecutive wins after
opening with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Jarkko Nieminen. The world number
one followed that first round win with a 6-2, 6-4 win over number 13
seed, Richard Gasquet. He lost only four games to Ivan Ljubicic, and
then had to play three sets for the first time in the semifinal match
against Briton, Andy Murray. The loss of 2-6, in the second set was a
blip that was quickly consigned to history with his blistering 6-1 win
over an inconsistent Murray in the third set. He showed throughout the
week that he will be hard to dislodge at the top of the rankings and
improved his return serve percentage to close to 50%.

The tournament director, Zeljko Franulovic, had announced on Sunday
morning, a record-breaking attendance of 125,000 spectators. The world
number one is now fast closing on the highest number of clay court
titles in the open era. Nadal with yesterday’s win joins Bjorn Borg and
Manuel Orantes on 30 titles on clay.