NINE FOR NADAL IN MONTE CARLO

This Week In Tennis
​Vol. 15

​Rafael Nadal injected a bit of intrigue into the ATP Tour with a ninth title in Monte Carlo last week. The prevailing narrative in men's tennis since the start of 2015 has been the unfettered dominance of Novak Djokovic. With the world #1's opening loss to Jiri Vesely at the Monte Carlo Masters, the rest of the top male players were gifted a chance to carve out a space for themselves in that narrative moving forward. Nadal did just that. He started with a third round win against Dominic Thiem, the same opponent who bested him in the Buenos Aires semifinals and who has looked like a burgeoning world beater this year. The rest of the way he turned back Stan Wawrinka, Andy Murray, and Gael Monfils. In short, it was a stellar week for the now nine-time Monte Carlo and Roland Garros champion. A few more weeks like this and Djokovic's path to a first Coupe des Mousqetaires might be unexpectedly trickier. 


ATP

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​RUNDOWN
​

• Nadal won his first Masters 1000 title since 2014. During that span, his struggles have been the subject of many tennis scribes' output. He did everything last week save for beating Djokovic, and that will be the story to watch as they each attempt to craft a redemptive narrative at this year's French Open.
• Gael Monfils continued his consistent returns in 2016. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, his record in ATP finals fell to 5-19 after failing to outlast Nadal in a three-set final. Nonetheless, he's up to #14 in the rankings and edging closer to a return to the top 10. 
• Roger Federer made his return to the ATP Tour in Monte Carlo after knee surgery following this year's Australian Open. Two brisk wins against Garcia-Lopez and Bautista-Agut led to a quarterfinal tussle with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, one which the 17-time Grand Slam winner was unable to emerge from. 
• Andy Murray made the semifinals in Monte Carlo but ran into a resurgent Rafael Nadal. After winning the first set, while brandishing an attacking style of tennis, Murray's fortunes went south as Nadal seized control of the match. 
• Novak Djokovic can be forgiven for having an off day. After winning practically everything over the last 16 months, the world #1 fell in the second round to Jiri Vesely. 
• When the Roland Garros draws are revealed next month, Dominic Thiem's name is the one that will cause the most angst amongst the top players. His play against Nadal in the third round corroborated what we've witnessed over the past year: his ascendency to the top of men's tennis is only a matter of time.  
• Adidas debuted their French Open kits last week. Except to hear lots of griping over the zebra inspired prints over the next month. 
• Tommy Haas underwent the ninth surgery of his professional career last week. Yet, the 38-year-old vows to attempt another comeback

​PRESS
​

Q. How happy are you after this tournament?
RAFAEL NADAL: Have been a very important week for me. Is obvious, I say at the beginning of the season, I feel myself much better than the year before.
If you don't confirm that with results...
The victory here confirms that I am better and I am very happy, no? Is very, very emotional week for me, very important event. Probably Monte-Carlo is one of the most important places in my career without any doubt.
Win again here after three years is something so special for me. So very happy for that.
I am enjoying emotionally.

Q. Often when two Frenchmen play, it's you who is able to play well. But today you didn't succeed. That's rare for you.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: It's true that it didn't happen to me too often to totally miss my match against another French player or not to make it difficult for them.
In general, the score is tighter. It's rare that I totally miss a match like I did today.
But coming out of the court, I think the week was positive. I have a good series, and after the American tour, I believe I'm in a good place. Sometimes, of course, things don't go your way, and this is what happened today. But I'm happy for Gael. He's playing very well right now. The fact that this match was short gives him a chance of being fresh tomorrow. It's bad for me, but it's good for him, I'd say. It's good for our group, that we are all playing well, that we are all emulating each other.

Q. After the first brilliant two sets, we thought the third might be a fight, too. Were you impressed?
GAEL MONFILS: No, I'm not impressed. You're not impressed. You're just submissive to his power. Suddenly in the third set he increased his power and accelerated and you just don't cope.
You feel good. But when the other player is the best, you have to recognize it. Of course, you can see the score, 6-Love. He was a lot better. He was relaxed, hitting hard. I felt he was really in control. He felt good. He was hitting harder.
He had his prey. All the more so that it was a final. For me it was tougher, of course. Congratulations to him.

Q. Sky TV seemed to time Rafa taking 31 seconds between points. There seemed to be quite a sharp exchange at one point. Is that what your were complaining about?
ANDY MURRAY: There were a few things that happened in the match. Obviously towards the end, he got the time violation for obviously taking too long in that last game.
There were a few things during the match. You guys were watching. And, yeah, you can draw your own conclusions from it.
I don't know how much of a bearing any of that had on the outcome. But that stuff always happens during matches. You know, it doesn't always influence the outcome.
But, you know, when you're losing at the end, it's easy to get frustrated at things. That was it.

Gracias a todos por el apoyo. Muy contento de esta victoria y ahora a celebrarla con mi equipo. pic.twitter.com/sthCGXav3P

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) 17 April 2016

□ pic.twitter.com/kB81nghF8i

— Richard Gasquet (@richardgasquet1) 15 April 2016

Congratulations (again!) to my friends @p2hugz and @nmahut for their 3rd straight masters 1000 title □ Amazing team ! #Unstoppable #Onfire

— David Goffin (@David__Goffin) 17 April 2016

Hello everyone!! □✈□
I am really happy to tell you that Munich and Madrid will be my first two clay tournaments... https://t.co/hrVVb1W5EZ

— Juan M. del Potro (@delpotrojuan) 12 April 2016

Thanks guys, all went well. Feeling a bit drowsy still so going back to sleep a little. Danke an… https://t.co/xmhbit3JPz

— Tommy Haas (@TommyHaas13) 13 April 2016

With my heroes at the rolex event! #legends #rolexclub https://t.co/zG6DP24d53

— Grigor Dimitrov (@GrigorDimitrov) 16 April 2016

​RANKINGS WATCH
​

• RISING: Tsonga (+2 to #7), Monfils (+2 to #14), Granollers (+17 to #50),  Berankis (+18 to #62), Pouille (+10 to #72), Dzumhur (+17 to #82), Herbert (+7 to #88) 
• FALLING: Berdych (-2 to #9), Dimitrov (-2 to #28), Delbonis (-4 to #40), Ramos-Vinolas (-5 to #55), Robredo (-9 to #58), Estrella Burgos (-10 to #78), Monaco (-8 to #94)

​ON THE WEB
​
"Going the Whole Nine"
"Roger Federer, $731,000; Serena Williams, $495,000: The Pay Gap in Tennis"
"Still Lean, Still Hungry"
"Holding Onto the Throne"
​"That Jiri Feeling"
Federer Returns with 'Different Knee,' But Same Drive, Following Surgery"
"Can't Keep Him Down..."
"David Foster Wallace's Perfect Game"
"Ex-professional Tennis Player Nick Lindahl Convicted of Match Fixing"

​WTA

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​RUNDOWN

​Click photos above for full Fed Cup draw results.

España acaricia el Grupo Mundial https://t.co/T0QnZhAE0a #ESPITA @FedCup_es

— Conchita Martínez (@conchitamartinz) 17 April 2016

Très fière de La Team □□□□□□
Bravo les girls !@FedCup #dabdereve pic.twitter.com/kZMjLuzDdk

— AmelieMauresmo (@AmeMauresmo) 17 April 2016

Congratulations girls! You did it! Amazing team performance again...cesky do tohooooo @FedCup

— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) 17 April 2016

Merci à ma team, le staff, la cap, mes partenaires et le public Angevin pour ce moment magique!□□□□□ #LesDabeuses pic.twitter.com/FJw8sC0VbB

— Caroline Garcia (@CaroGarcia) 17 April 2016

Baby steps□□□❄️ #rehab pic.twitter.com/GdH7V9VKwf

— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) 15 April 2016

ON THE WEB
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"Czechs, French into Fed Cup Final"
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"WTA Adds Biel to 2017 Schedule"
"Emma Stone and Steve Carell as Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs"
"French Open: Laura Robson to Enter Main Draw"
"Stosur Splits with Coach Taylor Again"
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​PODCASTS

WTA Insider - "Coach's Corner with David Taylor" 
Tennis.com - "Clay is Underway"
No Challenges Remaining - "69-year-old Gail Falkenberg, 'The Legend'"
No Challenges Remaining - "Tax Day! With Kelsey Anderson"
Beyond The Baseline -"Alexandra Stevenson"
The Tennis Podcast -"Monte Carlo - Nadal is Back!"
Tennis Connected - "Reviewing Rafa Nadal's Roaring Victory at the Monte Carlo Masters"
Mind The Racket - "Monte Carlo Wrap"