“Rafael Nadal allowed me to win it once, I’m very thrilled; he won 8 times in a row” – When Novak Djokovic exulted in maiden Monte-Carlo Masters win

Novak Djokovic was thrilled to break Rafael Nadal’s long-standing domination at the Monte-Carlo Masters by claiming his first-ever championship at the renowned event.

Despite being the third seed, Nadal, widely recognized as the ‘King of Clay,’ continued his dominance at the Monte-Carlo Masters by securing the prestigious title for eight consecutive years from 2005 to 2012. He was once again the top contender for the 2013 edition of the Masters 1000 event.

The Spaniard conquered opponents such as Philipp Kohlschreiber, Grigor Dimitrov, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, paving the way for an epic showdown with top-ranked player Novak Djokovic in the championship match.

Despite losing in two previous Monte-Carlo Masters finals, Djokovic emerged victorious with a dominant 6-2, 7-6(1) win over the eight-time defending champion, putting an end to Nadal’s impressive 46-match winning streak at the tournament.

The Serbian player rejoiced in his victory over Nadal, as it was his third time competing in the final. He joked about the Spaniard’s generosity in allowing him to win after eight consecutive triumphs.

“Well, he allowed me to win it once, and I’m very thrilled for that. He won it eight times in a row, so he’s been saying how much he loves and enjoys this tournament,”he said in his post-match press conference.

“On the other hand I do, too. It was a third lucky time for me. That’s why it’s very special because it’s the first time I won this trophy at my home basically,”he added.

Despite residing in Monte-Carlo, Novak Djokovic also stressed the emotional importance of winning on his ‘home turf,’ sharing that he had passionately pursued the elusive trophy for the past seven years.

“I think anybody who saw my expression in the end saw that it was a very emotional win for the reasons I gave you already, living here, what I’ve been through in the last two weeks. It’s a very joyful moment for me,”he said.

“I wanted that trophy badly all my life, especially in last six, seven years that I’ve been spending my time and living here between the tournaments in Monaco. This is a great confidence boost before the rest of the clay court season, definitely,”he added.

Novak Djokovic on His Dominance against Rafael Nadal on Clay

At the press conference, Novak Djokovic discussed his previous wins against Rafael Nadal and how they served as inspiration for his dominant performances against him.

“I’ve played in the past this well against Rafa on clay. Madrid, Rome 2011. It brought back the memories. I was trying to go back to years and remember what I’ve done on the court. So those matches, wins helped even in preparation for today’s challenge,”he said.

The Serb acknowledged the challenge of comparing his victory against Nadal on clay to defeating Roger Federer on grass, pointing out his difficulties in competing against the Swiss legend on his preferred surface.

“Regarding the comparison, Federer/Nadal, grass/clay, I don’t know really. I never won against Federer on grass. But this is definitely right up there, one of the biggest wins. I’ve played one of my best tennis on clay courts ever,”he said.

Despite Novak Djokovic’s continued success, he was unable to secure another title at the Monte-Carlo Masters in 2015, losing to Tomas Berdych in the final. On the other hand, Rafael Nadal’s dominance at the Masters 1000 event remains unrivaled, with an impressive 11 titles under his belt, the most recent of which was achieved in 2018.