Novak Djokovic ended one of the most remarkable winning streaks in sport after taking Rafael Nadal 's Monte Carlo Masters crown on Sunday . Nadal had been seeking to win the clay tournament for the ninth successive year , but fell to his first defeat in the principality since 2003 as the Serbian underlined his status as the world 's top tennis player with a 6-2 7-6 ( 7-1 ) victory in one hour 52 minutes . It halted Nadal 's 46-match winning run , and was the Spaniard 's second defeat in five finals since making his comeback from knee injury in Chile in February . `` It 's such a great pleasure to win here , it 's very special , '' said Djokovic , who lives in Monte Carlo . `` Rafa , thanks for allowing me to win here at least once . I ca n't ask for a better start to the clay season . '' Nadal , who had been sidelined for seven months , has now lost six of his 44 clay finals -- three of them to Djokovic , who will be hoping to stop the 11-time grand slam champion defending his French Open title when the season 's second major starts at the end of next month . The 25-year-old now has a 15-19 record against Nadal , whose last defeat on clay during the month of April was back in 2005 . `` What Novak is doing is just amazing , '' said Nadal , known as the `` King of Clay . '' `` Congratulations for winning my favorite event and all the best for the rest of your season . `` Last year was especially hard for me , but I had the support of my team and my fans . That was a very positive energy for me and gave me motivation to play here again . '' Djokovic has also overcome recent injury problems , having been a doubt for Monte Carlo after hurting his ankle on Davis Cup duty . `` If somebody told me 10 days ago I 'd be winning the trophy , I would n't think it 's so realistic , to be honest , '' he said . `` I went through pain , I went through a big challenge , mentally , physically , emotionally , and in the end it was getting better as the tournament was going on . '' Sunday 's final was delayed by almost 45 minutes due to rain , but when play finally got under way it was Djokovic who took charge , losing just 12 points in the first five games and then wrapping up the set when Nadal double-faulted . The second set was a lot tighter , and featured four breaks of serve , but Djokovic retained his composure to comfortably win the tie-break and earn the 37th title of his career and his 14th at Masters level -- eight behind Nadal 's leading 22 . Djokovic had been beaten by the 26-year-old Nadal in the 2009 and 2012 finals in Monte Carlo . Last year he lost in straight sets just days after the death of his grandfather . Meanwhile , Russia booked a place in the final of the women 's Fed Cup competition after overturning a 2-0 deficit against Slovakia in Moscow on Sunday -- becoming the first team to ever do so . Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina won the deciding doubles rubber , beating Dominika Cibulkova and Daniela Hantuchova 4-6 6-3 6-1 in two and a half hours . Maria Kirilenko had earlier kept Russia in the semifinal , winning 7-5 6-1 against Cibulkova before . Makarova leveled the scores with a 6-3 4-6 6-4 win over Hantuchova . The Russians , seeking a fifth title , will play Italy in November 's final following Monday 's completion of the delayed second semi . The Czech Republic , seeking a third consecutive title , lost 3-1 in Palermo as Roberta Vinci clinched the decisive point with a 6-3 6-7 ( 2-7 ) 6-3 win over Lucie Safarova . `` This is an incredible moment , an incredible victory , '' Vinci said . `` The crowd was really important today . But now we 're in the Fed Cup final again , so I 'm really happy . `` I think this is the best time in my tennis career . '' Italy won the title in 2009-10 , and also in 2006 , but lost to the Czechs in last year 's semifinals . In another match delayed by weather , Australia won through to the World Group playoffs by beating Switzerland 3-1 on Monday , joining Germany , Spain and the United States .
World No . 7-5 Djokovic wins Nadal for the first time . Serbian stops Rafael Nadal 's bid to claim a ninth successive title . Djokovic avenges his final defeats by Nadal 2009 and in 2009 . the Monte Carlo Masters 's last defeat in the principality was back in 2003 .