Nadal with Prince Albert II and his wife Charlene at the Rolex Masters. Copyright Patrick Gauthey

Nadal put an end to a losing streak against his rival Djokovic with an momentous 6-3 6-1 win at the glamorous Monte Carlo Country Club, his first victory against Djokovic since 2010. The Spaniard was hardly troubled by his Serbian rival, breaking his serve five times in a one-sided contest with an ace after 78 minutes. 

It was a surprising match for spectators as the number one ranked Djokovic has previously dominated Nadal in three consecutive Grand Slam finals and has also won six finals in a row against him. But it's been an emotional time for Djokovic after the death of his grandfather on Thursday, and the top seed appeared unable to summon enough energy to launch an enduring and forceful attack against the relentless Nadal. The Serbian struggled to find a strong strategy against Nadal, making 25 unforced errors during the match.  

"I'm sorry about my performance today," Djokovik stated  in a press conference after the match. "I've never had to go through such an emotional experience before. I'm just happy to have got to the finals considering the circumstances. It's been a difficult and emotional week."

Despite the windy conditions and a troublesome knee injury, the 10 time-Grand Slam Champion presented an aggressive challenge for the emotionally drained Djokovic, timing the bulk of his shots to perfection, denying Djokovik any chance of a comeback. And after a clinching victory, Nadal thrust his hands in the air in celebration. 

In total, Nadal has won a record of 20 master titles – one more than tennis rival and 16 Grand-Slam champion, Roger Federer. "Winning is an unbelievable feeling , eight consecutive victories is something I have always dreamed of achieving and I must have played practically perfectly every time, if you look at previous finals, almost every time I have come face to face with the top six players of the world," Nadal said after the match.

Katie Williams