Novak Djokovic prevails over Tomas Berdych to clinch the Monte Carlo Masters title

Novak Djokovic poses with the Monte Carlo Masters title

Novak Djokovic beat Tomas Berdych 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to capture his second Monte Carlo title and third Masters 1000 title of the year. The World No. 1 became the first man to win the first three Masters 1000 titles of the year after victories in Indian Wells and Miami.

SET 1: Both players struggled to hold their serve

Berdych got off to a perfect start as he broke Djokovic's serve in the first game. The World No. 8 hit a brilliant backhand winner in early exchanges to unsettle the Serb. Berdych then held his serve with relative ease to race to a 2-0 lead.

Djokovic was made to work hard by Berdych, who held the upperhand in rallies in the early going of the final. The World No. 1 relied on his drop shots and off forehand winners to trail 2-3.

Berdych missed a couple of forehands and netted a backhand to face a breakpoint in the sixth game. Djokovic was level at 3-3 when Berdych's backhand went long.

Berdych's unforced errors started to increase as he missed three backhands in the seventh game to give Djokovic a 4-3 lead. Berdych was broken in the eighth game when he hit a backhand down the line wide.

The Czech broke right back to stay in the first set and held his serve to love to even scores at 5-5. The Serb held his serve forcing Berdych to hold his serve to force a tie breaker. Berdych saved two break points in the twelfth game, but could not stop Djokovic from taking the first set 7-5.

SET 2: Berdych returned well to keep Djokovic at bay

Djokovic found himself 0-30 down in the first game of the second set, but dug deep to hold his serve. The No. 6 seed stayed in hunt with a love hold in the second game. A couple of unforced errors from Berdych ensured that Djokovic went 2-1 up. Berdych saved a break point in the fourth game to even scores at 2-2.

Djokovic found himself 0-40 down, but a couple of first serves combined with a few unforced errors from Berdych meant it was the Serb who was ahead in the second set.

Rain interrupted play for more than an hour. The rain break certainly helped Berdych who came out firing breaking Djokovic’s serve in the seventh game to go 4-3 up. There was no more break of serves as Berdych consolidated his break to even things at one-set all.

SET 3: Djokovic proved too strong for Berdych

Djokovic ran away to a 4-0 lead with two breaks of serve to rattle Berdych in the third set. The No. 6 seed broke Djokovic right back to stay within touching distance of the Serb. Although Berdych had break point opportunities later in the third set, he did not capitalise as Djokovic served out the set and the match to win his second Monte Carlo Masters title.