The Hindu : Sport : Nadal’s reign continues at Monte Carlo

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Nadal’s reign continues at Monte Carlo

Vinci wins in Barcelona

MONTE CARLO: Rafael Nadal became the first player to win five straight Monte Carlo Masters titles by beating Novak Djokovic 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 on Sunday.

The top-ranked Spaniard dropped his first set since the 2006 final against Roger Federer as the third-seeded Djokovic rallied to win the second set, pinning Nadal behind the baseline and picking him off at the net.

Nadal trailed 3-1 in the first set before reeling off five straight games. Struggling on serve in the decider, he saved three break points and needed 14 minutes to hold his opening service game. But Nadal held and it was Djokovic who crumbled as the Spaniard clinched victory on his first match point when the Serbian sent a backhand into the net.

Nadal extended his winning streak at Monte Carlo to 27 and won his 21st straight victory on clay since losing to Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in the second round of the Rome Masters in May 2008.

Vinci’s second title

Roberta Vinci beat defending champion Maria Kirilenko 6-0, 6-4 on Sunday to win the title at the Barcelona Open — her second career WTA Tour win.

The 61st-ranked Italian converted six of seven break chances against the sixth-seeded Russian.

Vinci won her first tour title in Bogota, Colombia, in 2007 when Tathiana Garbin of Italy retired during the third set.

Wozniacki in final

At Charleston, South Carolina, Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki stayed on course for back-to-back claycourt titles when she reached the Family Circle Cup final on Saturday with a 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 win over Russian top seed Elena Dementieva.

The 18-year-old Wozniacki, the world No. 12 who won the Ponte Vedra Beach title in Florida last weekend, came out on top after a three-hour battle with world No. 5 Dementieva.Wozniacki set up a meeting with German 16th seed Sabine Lisicki who defeated French sixth seed Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-1.

The results: At Monte Carlo (Monte Carlo Masters): Final: Rafael Nadal bt Novak Djokovic 6-3, 2-6, 6-1. Semifinals: Djokovic bt Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.

At Barcelona (Barcelona Ladies Open): Final: Roberta Vinci bt Maria Kirilenko 6-0, 6-4.

At Charleston (Family Circle Cup): Semifinals: Caroline Wozniacki bt Elena Dementieva 6-4, 5-7, 7-5; Sabine Lisicki bt Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-1. — Agencies

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