When Rafael Nadal Gael Monfils Met in Monte Carlo Final Condensed 2016 Match .

Brilliant! Seen that forehand a fair bit this week. Unleashing. That's easy power. Manfis. That'll get him. Good to see him pull the trigger. Slightly short from Nadal around the service line. Nadal applies in kind though. That shot has really worked well for that one in particular up the line this week. No hesitation on it, he's made some big ones and important points. He's inside now, he's not that one. Manfis just confirming which mark it was. Devastating. Let's see what Manfis is trying to do. He's just trying to get the ball up with a fair bit of height to push Nadal back. Oh, has he missed it? Surely he hasn't made that. Incredible. Absolutely vaporised that final forehand. Didn't even see it. Hit it so hard. Hardly an ounce of spin on that ball. Wow! And Manfis it is. That's making the inroads. So good. Had to soak up a fair bit in the early part of the exchange but slowly turned the screw. Incredible powers of defence from Rafael Nadal. How on earth did he stay in the point? And had the wits about him to turn the tables. It's wide. And no wonder he shakes his head. Manfis hasn't had to dig that deep to get the break back here. Focused here. Brilliant hitting. So impressive. Under the gun and he's delivered again. It's clear that he has to go for these type of balls when they present themselves. A little out of position there outside the tram line. So it has to be a winner going inside in. That will be a source of tremendous encouragement for Gaël Manfis. A few people on their feet inside here. Some incredible hitting from the Frenchman. I haven't seen too many of those today from Nadal. And he's used it. It's been very successful. Recognising he got Manfis pinned into the backhand corner. It was a fatigue laden game you feel that one from Gaël Manfis. Was trying to check out of the rallies a little too early. And Nadal will serve for the first set. Oh it's fabulous stuff again. Manfis clubbing the ball towards the end of the rally. And there were still no rewards. Incredible again. Manfis being pummeled in the rally. And don't ask me how. But he's found a way to win it. I think he's going to need some oxygen here. That was just absolutely phenomenal hitting. Backhand working beautifully. Up the line. Turn that point around. What an effort. Happiness and pain all rolled in one there. It's a double full. Astonishing. And Manfis has been given a passage back into this first set. Oh what disguise. That was cheeky. Haven't seen him go to that very often. That was mightily effective. King rally you can add it to the list. It's a lengthy one in this opening set. And yet again Manfis' powers of defence truly remarkable. So far behind the baseline. Nadal so far up the court it was the obvious shot. Well from a neutral's point of view you thought this opening set to end did you? And the good news is it's not. It's five apiece. Nadal did well to keep his cool. He must have thought Manfis was done. Right now he has to find the lines to have any chance of hitting a winner. Manfis is everywhere in this point. That dig there running out of space. But somehow he's back in the court. Gets himself back in the rally. One of Nadal's better forehands to eventually finish it off. It's an ignominious way to end the set after he had given so much to it. Gael Manfis. But Rafa Nadal is half way towards a ninth title in Monte Carlo. He's taken an absorbing first set. 7-5. A lot of depth Manfis didn't need to be quite as close to the lines. But the drop shot was a lame one. And it's Monfils that's got the break first of all in this second set. We question perhaps how much he had left. He's just given us the answer. A Frenchman with a fine start. 2-1. It's been the sort of hitting we've seen throughout the course of the match. Shouldn't really be surprised anymore. And it's two down one to go as far as the break points are concerned. What a stunning volley. And no wonder he stares in that manner. He should take all the plaudits. Initially just amazing defence from Nadal. And I thought oh he's got him there but... Any concerns of Gael Manfis fading fast in this second set have been well and truly laid to rest. Mucking about with that forehand from Nadal. Slightly tricky higher up. Flattened that one out. Down on this one. Has he ever hit his forehand this well? Consistently? I doubt it. Another way he moves through this final forehand to give one by surprise. Good finish. Definitely wide. Clear mark. Another. Manfis is broken to love. Just excellent court position from Manfis. Pinned into that backhand corner. Quiet here. You could make a case that he's earned his luck. That was a big slice of it. And Nadal, an excellent effort. Like a sprint around the blocks. Let's see. Get up to this net court. Couldn't quite do enough with it. If it is. He's produced again. And look at the reaction. No wonder he's winning friends out here. Just when you think he's done. He rears his head once more. 4-3. The Frenchman has the break again. Made it. And it's just dropped inside the line. Didn't really have the room to run around the backhand initially. And just teed Nadal up for the forehand. And it was trouble thereafter. Nadal breaks straight back here. Nadal sets his stall out here. And is he finally crushed the resistance of the Frenchman. Who's given so much to the two hours we've had so far in this final. 5-4. That's an unlikely shot to pull off with such length. He did so well to get himself out of that problem there. Point of the day surely. And there have been so many contenders for that particular accolade. Dale Morpheus. Take a bow. The 360 recovery on that one. Squash like shot. Get himself into that. And Nadal just got the volley all wrong. Plugging in to the energy at the Monte Carlo Country Club. It's long. Two in a row. Nadal can't believe it. I don't think too many people inside here can either. For a third time in this set Morpheus gets the break. Correction. That is harsh. I just wonder if there has been a couple of, two or three, mistakes made by that particular linesperson. A couple of overalls on that line. There's a lot of people who have waited a lot of time for Gael Morpheus to produce this sort of level at Zenith. And he's done it on one of the biggest stages in the sport. And he's given himself a chance to extend this match. Two set points. It's fast turning into the match of the year so far. And the good news is there's more to come. Morpheus levels things up here at a set apiece. A couple of those already in the early stages of this set. Nadal has come to play here. Surprisingly passive point from Morpheus. Thought he was going to pull the trigger a couple of times. Paid the price. Weight to that one. He's walking rather gingerly to the chair as well as Morpheus. Morpheus has sent Nadal corner to corner. But still got nothing to show for it. No trouble with the feel that time. Quickly up to it. Wasn't a bad idea from Morpheus but... Nadal. Matching him here. That could be that. Two of his biggest forehands of the day. And is the king of clay about to regain his throne. That's exactly what he gets. He's started the third set the stronger. And it seems no doubt he's going to finish the match in that fashion. Five love Nadal now. Just a game away from number nine. And you certainly can't say he hasn't earned it this week. I hope he's okay. Not just for now of course but for future weeks. Pummeled by another enormous forehand. Morpheus has added so much to this match. And it's going to end without reward. What a way to seal it. And Rafael Nadal wins a ninth title in Monte Carlo. He snaps a two year barren run without winning a Masters 1000 title. Without doubt one of the matches of the year so far. In the end the Spaniard runs away with things. What a significant week this could prove to be for him. He's back in the winner's circle. The king of clay is at the top of the game once more. Six love he wins in the third. For his 100th final. He's having his 68th title. 28 Masters 1000s. And the ninth title here in the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters. Rafael Nadal. The king of clay. What a performance today. Still of course there's a certain Djokovic to find a way to get by. But these are some solid foundations.