Tennis

Nadal outlast Djokovic to win fifth straight title in Monte Carlo

Nadal outlast Djokovic to win fifth straight title in Monte Carlo Monte Carlo  - Rafael Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters for a record fifth straight time on Sunday, spending nearly three hours in fighting off dogged Serb Novak Djokovic, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.

The laboured victory pulls Nadal even with New Zealand's Anthony Wilding, who won five (non-consecutive) titles at the event from 1908 onwards.

The Spaniard had to fight for two and three-quarters hours against the determined number three Djokovic, who handed Nadal his first dropped set since the 2006 final against Roger Federer.

Wary Hewitt unsure of Davis participation at Indian venue

Lleyton Hewitt London  - Father-of-two Lleyton Hewitt has gone to ground in Europe as Tennis Australia and the ITF row over whether a May 8-10 Davis Cup Asian zonal tie should be staged in the Indian city of Chennai.

Last November, up to 150 people died when Islamic extremists attacked luxury hotels and government building in what turned into a firefight.

India says the metropolis is perfectly safe, and the ITF agrees after conducting a security probe. But Tennis Australia is appealing that decision, asking for the tie to be played at a neutral venue.

Nadal to face Djokovic for a fifth Monte Carlo

Rafael Nadal Monte Carlo  - Rafael Nadal escaped a late struggle from Andy Murray with a straight-sets win to reach his fifth consecutive final at the Monte Carlo Masters on Saturday with a date now looming against Novak Djokovic.

Nadal won his 26th match in a row at the venue as he secured a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) result in well over two hours.

He has also won 30 consecutive Monte Carlo sets since the 2006 final against Roger Federer and completed his 20th straight match win on clay dating to last May in Rome.

Nadal avoids a marathon with two quick catch-up wins

Rafael NadalMonte Carlo  - Rafael Nadal saved energy, earning two wins in a total of three hours to blast into his fifth straight semi-final at the Monte Carlo Masters on Friday as the tournament got caught up after Thursday rain.

The top seed in the chase for five trophies on the trot at the European clay-season opener, by beating Nicolas Lapentti 6-3, 6-0 then notched his 25th win in a row at the venue 6-3, 6-3 in a quarter-final over Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.

"I played less than three hours, that's always important. I just went to the court and tried to play my best. The first match was not long and I was totally hundred percent in the second.

Wawrinka aims for revenge against Djokovic on Monte Carlo clay

Stan WawrinkaMonte Carlo  - Stan Wawrinka has a score to settle with Novak Djokovic as the pair stage a re-run of last year's Foro Italico final when they meet in in a semi-final Saturday at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Djokovic, seeded third to the 13th of Wawrinka, beat the Swiss for the Rome title last May. But Wawrinka is riding a wave of clay confidence a day after defeating good friend Roger Federer in the third round.

He followed up that achievement on Friday, putting out German qualifier Andreas Beck 6-2, 6-4.

2ND ROUNDUP: Federer falls to fellow Swiss as Stan stuns second seed By Bill Scott, dpa

Federer falls to fellow Swiss as Stan stuns second seedMonte Carlo  - Roger Federer lost for only the third time in his career to a compatriot, going out to Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday at the Monte Carlo Masters for his earliest clay exit in five years.

Novak Djokovic earned a night win over Spaniard Alberto Montanes 6-1, 6-7 (4-7) 6-0, and Scot fourth seed Andy Murray fought through a 13-11 tiebreaker with Italian Fabio Fognini before rain interrupted their second set on serve 1-0 to Murray.

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