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ATPWorldTour.com reviews the biggest storylines from the 2018 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters
1. Rafa Is Rafa-ing, Again
The best is getting even better. World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, having won his 11th Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters title on Sunday (d. Nishikori), is now the all-time leader in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns. Nadal has 31 titles at the prestigious level. He had been even with Novak Djokovic at 30.

Watch: Rafa Wins 11th Monte-Carlo Title


ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Title Leaders

Player

Masters 1000 Titles

Monte-Carlo Titles

(1) Rafael Nadal

31

11

(2) Novak Djokovic

30

2

(3) Roger Federer

27

0

(4) Andre Agassi

17

0

(5) Andy Murray

14

0

With two more clay-court Masters 1000 tournaments in the near future – Madrid, Rome – Nadal could very well have 33 Masters 1000 titles before the European clay-court season ends. That's because Nadal, the all-time clay-court titles leader with 54, appears to be doing the unthinkable: improving his tennis on the red dirt.

Read & Watch: Nadal Clinches La Undécima

The Spaniard has now won a career-best 36 consecutive sets on clay. His flawless run through the Monte-Carlo field marked only the fifth time he had won the tournament without dropping a set (2008-10, 2012, 2018).

2. Kei Is Back, Or Very Close To It
Two and a half months ago, Kei Nishikori was lifiting the trophy at the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas, an indoor ATP Challenger Tour event in the Texas metropolis. On Sunday, he battled for one of the biggest titles in tennis in the Principality of Monaco.

Read More: Nishikori: 'I'm Almost There'

Suffice to say, Nishikori's comeback from right-wrist surgery is coming along well. It was only the second time that the Japanese star had played at the Masters 1000 tournament in Monte-Carlo (2012). But he played like a man familiar with the territory, beating Tomas Berdych, Sydney International titlist Daniil Medvedev, second seed Marin Cilic and two-time Masters 1000 titlist Alexander Zverev to reach his first final since February 2017 (Argentina Open, l. to Dolgopolov).

Watch: Nishikori Reaches Monte-Carlo Final


3. The Bryans Are, Without A Doubt, Back
In February, even their most loyal fans had to be wondering when Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan would again be celebrating “Big Titles”. Now those same fans must just be enjoying the ride.

The Bryan brothers won their second consecutive Masters 1000 title and their 38th overall on Sunday at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, defeating Australian Open champions Oliver Marach/Mate Pavic.

Read & Watch: Bryans Capture 38th Masters 1000 Crown

Three weeks ago, the Bryans won the Miami Open presented by Itau doubles crown, their biggest title since Rome 2016 and their first tour-level crown since Atlanta 2017. The American twins have now reached three consecutive Masters 1000 finals, having lost in the BNP Paribas Open final in Indian Wells last month (l. to Isner/Sock).

Watch: Bryans Win Monte-Carlo Doubles Title


4. Djokovic Is Improving and Hungry
Two-time Monte-Carlo champion Novak Djokovic didn't bring home his third title this week, but the Serbian left the Principality feeling upbeat about his tennis. Djokovic pushed fifth seed Dominic Thiem, the only player to beat Nadal on clay last year, to three sets before bowing out in the third round.

Read More: Djokovic Disappointed By Encouraged By Monte-Carlo Run

The near future, however, is looking positive for the 30-time Masters 1000 champion. He's playing without pain in his right elbow after being bothered by discomfort for nearly two and a half years, and Djokovic has a stable situation in his coaching box. He and longtime coach Marian Vajda will continue to work together through the clay-court season.

Watch Hot Shot: Djokovic Unleashes


5. Zverev Coming Close To Mastering Masters 1000 Tournaments
He has yet to hoist a Masters 1000 title in 2018 but, of late, Alexander Zverev has been one of the most consistent players at the big-time level.

After a second-round exit in Indian Wells, Zverev made the final in Miami (l. to Isner) and the semi-finals in Monte-Carlo (l. to Nishikori). The World No. 4 is 17-7 on the year and finding his best tennis as the European clay-court season gets underway.

It's good timing for Zverev. In one week, he'll be defending 250 ATP Rankings points at the BMW Open By FWU in Munich, where he won his first clay-court title last year (d. Pella), and in three weeks, Zverev will be defending 1,000 ATP Rankings points at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, where he won his maiden Masters 1000 title last year (d. Djokovic).

Watch: Zverev Reflects On QF Win

Zawsze powtarzam, że skoro ja coś zrobiłem, to może tego dokonać także ktoś inny, ale naprawdę nie wiem, co musiałoby się wydarzyć, by ktoś pobił mój rekord - powiedział Rafael Nadal po 11. triumfie w turnieju ATP Masters 1000 w Monte Carlo.

ATP Monte Carlo: "undecima" Rafaela Nadala. Hiszpan zdobył 11. tytuł w księstwie
Niedzielny finał turnieju ATP w Monte Carlo przeciw Keiowi Nishikoriemu zakończył się zwycięstwem Rafaela Nadala 6:3, 6:2. - Rozegrałem lepszy mecz niż w półfinale. Po złym początku i szybkiej stracie serwisu musiałem nieco zmienić taktykę. Dopóki tego nie zrobiłem, popełniałem za dużo błędów - mówił po triumfie.
Dla Nadala to 11. w karierze tytuł w turnieju Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. Został pierwszym w historii tenisistą, który wygrał 11 razy jedną imprezę. - To dla mnie szczególny dzień. Każdy triumf w Monte Carlo wiele dla mnie znaczy. To wyjątkowy turniej dla historii naszego sportu i dla mnie. Przyjeżdżam tutaj od 15 lat i za każdym razem czuję się wyjątkowo. Cieszę się każdą chwilą spędzoną w tym miejscu.


- Zdobycie 11. tytułu jest niesamowite. To coś, co trudno sobie wyobrazić - kontynuował. - Zawsze powtarzam, że skoro ja coś zrobiłem, to może tego dokonać także ktoś inny, ale w tym przypadku naprawdę nie wiem, co musiałoby się wydarzyć, by ktoś pobił mój rekord. To będzie wyjątkowo trudne. Aby to zrobić, przez kilkanaście lat należy grać niemal bezbłędnie i nie mieć pecha. Ja w ostatnim czasie miałem wiele pecha, ale ten tydzień był dla mnie szczęśliwy. 11 to bardzo dużo, zwłaszcza w Monte Carlo - stwierdził.

Hiszpan zdobył zarazem 31. tytuł rangi ATP World Tour Masters 1000 i zdystansował Novaka Djokovicia, z którym współdzielił rekord 30. wygranych imprez złotej serii. - Cieszę się każdym dniem i staram się być szczęśliwy, grając w tenisa. Wiem, że nic nie trwa wiecznie i że czas pożegnania jest bliżej niż dziesięć lat temu, dlatego, dopóki mogę, chcę grać z pełną pasją i miłością do tego sportu - powiedział.

Nadal nie ma wiele czasu, by cieszyć się sukcesem. W obecnym tygodniu stanie na starcie turnieju w Barcelonie, gdzie także będzie mógł zwyciężyć po raz 11. - Sezon gry na kortach ziemnych rozpocząłem w najlepszy sposób. Cieszę się, że w mojej gablocie trofeów będę mógł umieścić 11. puchar z Monte Carlo. Ale wiem, że w Barcelonie także czeka mnie trudne zadanie - dodał.

A set-by-set breakdown of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters final, between Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori

Rafael Nadal capped a magical week at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, surging to the title on a pristine, sun-kissed afternoon in the Principality. Nadal blasted past Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 33 minutes to capture the highly-entertaining championship clash. He has now won a jaw-dropping 36 consecutive sets on clay, a personal-best on the surface.

The Spaniard notched an unprecedented 31st ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title and 11th in Monte-Carlo. Furthermore, Nadal extended his stay atop the ATP Rankings, having needed a win to remain at No. 1. Nishikori, meanwhile, was bidding for his first Masters 1000 crown in what was his fourth final.

Nadal bumps his FedEx ATP Head2Head lead over Nishikori to 10-2. Despite falling in their previous meeting, for the bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, he has not lost in four encounters on clay. Two of those clashes came in finals as well, at the 2014 Mutua Madrid Open and 2016 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

Here is how the final unfolded...


FIRST SET - Nadal 6-3
Opulence abounds on a seemingly perfect Sunday in the Principality, with celebrities and royalty in attendance for the championship clash. The patterns were clear for Nishikori, whose timing and rhythm have greatly improved since returning to the ATP World Tour in February. Using his potent backhand to send a message to Nadal and break down his forehand, is a necessary element to succeed against the Spaniard's vaunted clay-court game.

Nadal launched a forehand pass on the run, sprinting across the baseline to fire sharp-angled winner, to send an immediate message in Nishikori's first service game. A 16-point game would ensue, as the Manacor native applied immediate pressure on his opponent's serve.

But it was Nishikori who claimed first blood with a break to 15 in the next game. It marked just the third time Nadal had been broken all tournament. The Japanese shuffled a backhand past a net-charging Nadal to grab the initial break.

As quickly as Nishikori seized the initiative, Nadal's response was swift and devastating, breaking right back as the Shimane native struck an untimely double fault. Nishikori showed flashes of brilliance throughout the set, crafting improbable angles without warning, but he would have no answer for Nadal's penetrating forehand and kicking serve. The Spaniard reeled off seven straight points en route to capturing another break and he would secure the opener after 56 minutes. A forehand down the line, his ninth winner of the set, would see him move one step closer to an 11th crown at the Monte-Carlo Country Club.

SECOND SET - Nadal 6-2
With Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco in attendance, Nadal extended his sets-won streak on clay to a career-best 35 won in a row. Nishikori was eager to make it a competitive affair, but two quick breaks for Nadal would prove devastating as the second set got underway.

Nishikori will hold his head high after a breakthrough week on the Monte-Carlo clay, his best result in his return to the ATP World Tour, but Nadal proved to be too much of an unstoppable force on Sunday. A backhand winner secured the title for the Spaniard, his 31st at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level. It was Nadal's fifth victory in Monte-Carlo without dropping a set.

Nadal fired 20 winners, including 13 on his forehand wing, while dominating the shorter rallies. He won 34-19 points under five shots. The Manacor native converted four of eight break points in total to prevail after one hour and 33 minutes.

The story of the third ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament of 2018