Nadal hammers Djokovic to win eighth Monte Carlo crown

MONTE CARLO,  (Reuters) – World number two Rafael Nadal thrashed top seed Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-1 in the Monte Carlo Masters final to win the claycourt title for an eighth consecutive time.

Nadal, who had lost his previous seven finals to the Serb, wrapped up a one-sided match with an ace after 78 minutes.

On a windy and sunny afternoon by the Mediterranean, the Spaniard became the first player ever to win a tournament eight times in a row as he clinched his 47th ATP Tour title.

Djokovic, who calls Nadal the “king of claycourt” despite upsetting him in last year’s Madrid and Rome Masters events, struggled to mount a challenge as he made numerous unforced errors throughout.