Top seed Novak Djokovic produced an outstanding performance to defeat third seed and eight-time former champion Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-3 on Saturday in the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters blockbuster semi-final.
Novak earned a berth in his 33rd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final (22-10) and his 75th overall (51-23) in one hour and 37 minutes.
The world no.1 started slowly, falling behind a break for a 0-2 deficit in the opening set, but quickly found his rhythm to win six of the next seven games for 6-3 in 43 minutes.
Nole rode the momentum to break twice in the second set, in the seventh and ninth games, sealing his 20th victory in 43 meetings with the Spaniard and 29th match win in 2015.
Match statistics: aces (1-3), double faults (0-1), winners (15-10), unforced errors (18-27), total points won (61-39).
Novak is through to the final at the Monte-Carlo Country Club for the fourth time. The Serbian star finished runner-up in 2009 and 2012 (l. to Nadal both times) before clinching the trophy in 2013 (d. Nadal, ending his eight-year reign).
Djokovic will look to become the first player to win the opening three Masters 1000 titles of the year when he takes on Tomas Berdych (18-2) in Sunday’s title match (14:30 CET). The sixth-seeded Czech beat Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-4 in the first semi-final.
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