India’s Rohan Bopanna and his Uruguayan partner Pablo Cuevas lifted their first ATP World Tour title together when they downed seventh-seeds Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez in a three-set battle in the final of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters here today.
The unseeded Indo-Uruguayan pair outwitted the Spanish team in the Match tie breaker for a 6-3 3-6 10-4 win in 74 minutes.
It was the second title of the season for Bopanna having won the the season-opening Chennai Open crown with compatriot Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan.
“I’m really happy to win our first title together. I have come to Monte-Carlo so many years, it’s such a historic tournament. We had a tough start to the season, but it’s great to have won. We came through some close Match tie-breaks this week and it’s a good start to the clay season. I’m looking forward to the rest of the tournaments,” said Bopanna.
Cuevas said, “I am really happy, as I didn’t started the season well. I’m happy to win with my partner in the first tournament on European clay and I hope for a good run through to Paris.”
Bopanna is now 16-24 in doubles finals and 4-4 in Masters’ summit clashes. It was Cuves’ second Masters trophy, adding to the 2015 Rome Masters triumph with David Marrero.
NADAL WINS HISTORIC 10th MONTE CARLO CROWN
Rafael Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters for a record-breaking 10th time with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Spanish compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
The 30-year-old Nadal, who now has 50 clay court titles and 70 in all, will be aiming for a 10th French Open title as well next month.
It was Nadal’s first title in almost a year and further cemented his place in history as he became the first man in the Open era to win the same event 10 times.
He won eight Monte Carlo titles in a row from 2005 to 2012 but then lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2013 final.
He won the title again last year and then added the Barcelona crown a week later, yet had not lifted a trophy since, losing three finals already this year, including January’s Australian Open against Roger Federer.
Nadal’s 50 clay titles breaks the record he shared with Guillermo Vilas since April last year when he lifted his ninth trophy in Barcelona.
“I cannot explain the feelings that I have,” Nadal said.
“I had a tough start to the season. When I first played here in 2003 as a qualifier I reached the third round.
“Now, a lot of years later, this is something I could have never dreamt. Thanks to life for giving me this opportunity.”
