As expected, Rafael Nadal is in the final of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo. The defending champion defeated Grigor Dimitrov in two sets.
Grigor Dimitrov was able to keep up with the star-studded favourite for a set – but then Rafael Nadal also overtook the Bulgarian like all his opponents before him. Like Aljaz Bedene, Karen Khachanov and Dominic Thiem.
After 1:22 hours, Nadal had won 6:4, 6:1 and will face the winner of the match between Kei Nishikori in the final on Sunday (live in our live ticker and on SKY). Just a few days ago Nadal won the Davis Cup in Valencia against the German. Nadal sees the result against the Japanese with 9:2 victories in front. However, Kei Nishikori won the last match: the bronze medal match at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Nadal started strongly, presented immediately to the 3:0. Dimitrov, however, hit back and held the first round open until 4:5. But then Nadal put a forehand on the line – Dimitrov’s hopes that the ball had missed the line went nowhere. In the second set, the favourite allowed the honorary game of Dimitrovs to go 5-1, but then fixed his place in the final.
Nadal will play for his eleventh title in the Principality. Last year he had no problems in the final with Albert Ramos-Vinolas, even in 2018 it seems almost impossible to reach the Mallorcans on sand.
Here the single tableau in Monte Carlo