( CNN ) -- Rafael Nadal fired an ominous warning that he is ready to reclaim his French Open crown from Roger Federer after picking up a record-equaling sixth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title on Sunday . The world No . 3 earned his first tournament success in 11 months as he routed fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-0 6-1 to complete a triumphant return to his favored clay surface . The 23-year-old has had a difficult past year after his shock defeat at the French Open to eventual losing finalist Robin Soderling , with Federer earning his first win at Roland Garros . Nadal needed surgery on his knees after that setback , and his hiatus allowed Federer to take both his Wimbledon title and the No . 1 ranking . The Mallorcan reached the semifinals in his past two tournaments on hardcourts surfaces in the United States , and blitzed his opponents in Monaco as three times he dropped only one game in a match . `` For me , it is very emotional , '' Nadal , who equaled the 106-year-old record of six Monte Carlo titles held by Englishman Reggie Doherty , told the ATP Tour Web site . `` It is probably my favorite tournament . I love this tournament . To win here another time is a dream for me . The atmosphere here is unbelievable . I feel like I 'm at home . `` No one match during seven years have I felt the crowd against me . I just can say thank you very much everybody . '' Nadal 's only defeat at the tournament was against Guillermo Coria as a 16-year-old in 2003 , and world No . 12 Verdasco never looked like registering his first win over his compatriot in 10 encounters . `` He had an unbelievable day and he played really good . I also did n't maybe have a good day , because I was trying to force and made more mistakes than unusual , '' said Verdasco , who was playing in his first Masters 1000 tournament final after thrashing world No . 2 Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-2 on Saturday . Nadal , by comparison , drew level with Federer on 16 Masters titles , behind only the 18 won by American Andre Agassi . He has now won 54 successive matches on clay in the month of April , with six titles in Monte Carlo and five in Barcelona in that time . Federer , who has not played since the Miami Masters last month , is set to make his return to the circuit at the Rome clay event starting on April 25 . Nadal will be top seed at the Barcelona Open starting next week , with the draw also including Sweden 's Soderling , Verdasco , Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France and Monte Carlo semifinalist David Ferrer . The French Open , the second grand slam tournament of the tennis season , begins in Paris on May 24 . Meanwhile , Samantha Stosur of Australia won her second title on the women 's WTA Tour circuit on Sunday . The fourth seed , ranked 11th in the world , drubbed Russian No . 7 Vera Zvonareva 6-0 6-3 in the final of the Family Circle Cup on green clay in Charleston , South Carolina . Zvonareva had made it into the title match after world No . 2 Caroline Wozniacki retired with an ankle injury during their semifinal on Saturday .
Rafael Nadal wins a record - equaling sixth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title . World No . 1 - mark set by Englishman Reggie Doherty early in 20th century . Nadal crushes fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6 - 0 6 - 1 in the final on Sunday . Samantha Stosur claims her second WTA Tour title with victory at Family Circle Cup .