Rafael Nadal returned to Monte Carlo as a five-time defending champion in 2010. The Spaniard was eager to extend his winning streak in the Principality, winning every match at the season’s first clay-court Masters 1000 event since 2005. Nadal made the best start at one of his beloved tournaments. He ousted Thiemo de Bakker, Michael Berrer and Juan Carlos Ferrero after dropping only eight games in six sets (six of those against Ferrero) to set the semi-final clash with another Spaniard, David Ferrer. It was the 13th meeting between two fine clay-courters, and Rafa earned the tenth triumph. He toppled David 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 15 minutes in a one-sided affair that propelled him into the sixth straight Monte Carlo final. Nadal lost serve twice, which was hardly an obstacle for him after a dominant display on the return. He took 54% of the points in Ferrer’s games and grabbed six breaks that pushed him over the finish line in no time.
Rafael Nadal toppled David Ferrer for sixth straight Monte Carlo final in 2010.
David stayed in touch in the shortest rallies, and Rafa forged his win in the most extended ones. The defending champion controlled the pace in the exchanges and reduced his opponent to under ten winners and over 25 unforced errors. Ferrer made a strong start, holding at love with a service winner in the first game and creating a break chance in the next one. Nadal denied it with a service winner and held with another for 1-1. He broke at 15 in the third game following David’s weak drop shot and forced his rival’s error in the next one to confirm the lead and move 3-1 in front. Losing ground in those moments, Ferrer sprayed a backhand error to suffer another break and fall 4-1 down.
To make things worse, he wasted his return chances a few minutes later and allowed Rafa to hold with a lob winner. Serving for the set at 5-2, Nadal fired three service winners to close the opener in style in 35 minutes, hoping for more of the same in set number two. He grabbed a break at 1-1 following Ferrer’s terrible forehand before David pulled a break back with a much better forehand a few minutes later for 2-2. Maintaining his composure, Rafa landed a forehand down the line winner to secure another break and get back in front in game five. The defending champion fired four winners in the next one to forge a 4-2 gap and move closer to the finish line. Ferrer hit a double fault to give serve away soon after that, and Nadal served for the victory at 5-2. Not ready to surrender, David pulled one break back to extend his chances before Rafa claimed another return game at 5-3 to seal the deal and move over the top.Ā