Day Seven and semi finals in Monaco.
Rolex Monte Carlo Masters - an ATP Masters 1000 category tournament, on Red Clay, in Monte Carlo, Monaco, 14-21 April 2019.
Defending champion:
Rafa Nadal (1) who defeated Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-2
Fabio Fognini (13) v Rafa Nadal (2)
Nadal had a 11-3 head to head record over Fognini going into the semi final, and the Italian’s wins all came in 2015 - since then Nadal won the past six, including a quarter final in Rome 2018.
To reach this point, Fognini knocked off top five player Alexander Zverev, and ninth seed Borna Coric. Nadal had yet to face a player in the top twenty, although his first round victim, Roberto Bautista Agut is currently in the top ten of the 2019 ATP Race.
In a sixteen point opening game, Nadal saved two break points, saw three game points disappear, saved another break point, and finally surrendered serve on the fourth break chance. Fognini was quicker in dropping his serve, failing to save the second of two break points faced.
Nadal found it significantly easier the second time at the line, racing to 40-0 on the back of Italian errors. A forehand winner iced the game for Nadal who proceeded then to crack the Fognini serve again. Opening with a drop shot winner, Nadal watched another trio of mistakes flow off the Fognini racquet and the scoreboard tick over to 3-1 in his favour.
A damaging forehand followed by a backhand down the line winner, both contributed by Fognini, resulted in two break points faced by Nadal. He survived the first, but a failed backhand enabled Fognini to break back.
Game six began well. Nadal hit an overhead winner, and Fognini replied with a lob volley combination. After that things degenerated into an error ridden competition and Fognini finished it by holding serve. 3-3.
Nadal double faulted, but overcame that, and assisted by a winning drop shot edged ahead 4-3. A backhand winner was the high point in Fognini’s service hold which levelled the set. A forehand disaster is the best way to describe the ninth game for Rafa Nadal. Yes, Fognini moved the Spaniard around the court to relatively uncomfortable positions, but the mistakes were largely unforced. Breaking to love, Fognini world serve for the set.
A forehand winner was nullified by a Fognini double fault. However, another forehand success, coupled with a fortunate net cord, produced a set point. It was converted thanks to a smart forehand volley. 6-4 to Fognini.
Three errors introduced set two to the crowd as Nadal attempted to redress the situation. He had 30-15 on his serve, but lost the edge after Fognini slipped in a backhand volley and a Spanish forehand went astray. The break point offered to Fognini was grasped eagerly, and a backhand winner sealed the game. Nadal trailed by a set and a break. Of course this could be retrieved, especially considering the record of Nadal, an eleven times winner here.
Not according to Fognini, who rattled off a series of games, featuring some of the best sustained tennis of his long career.
2-0 including a forehand winner and an ace from Italy
3-0 breaking Nadal, a forehand winner surrounded by Spanish mistakes
4-0 winning Fognini drop shot and more errors from Nadal
5-0 breaking Nadal for the sixth time in the match - a cross court winner from Nadal not enough to combat two Fognini down the line winners, one off each wing. The final shot a brutal forehand making a mess of the next Nadal attempt.
Fognini served for it, and after a forehand winner, together with a pair of Nadal backhand errors, had three match points. True to his character, Nadal fought off each, one through a Fognini mistake, another through a powerful forehand and the third through a backhand winner. A Nadal forehand winner converted the break point which arrived when Fognini put a backhand out of court.
Nadal held serve and forced Fognini to the line again.
This time, Fognini began with a forehand winner, and reached 40-15 without any issues. His final shot was a forehand winner, and Fabio Fognini achieved one of his finest victories - 6-4 6-2 over Rafa Nadal on the Spaniard’s playground, and into his first ever Masters 1000 final.
Dusan Lajovic defeated Daniil Medvedev (10) 7-5 6-1, in another upset win
The final is: Dusan Lajovic v Fabio Fognini (13)
Both players are contesting their first Masters 1000 final. For Lajovic, it is his first final of any kind on the ATP Tour.
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