MONTE CARLO: Albert Ramos-Vinolas continued his stunning run at the Monte Carlo Masters on Saturday by dispatching Lucas Pouille 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 to reach the final. The 29-year-old 15th seed had never before even reached a Masters 1000 semifinal. In Sunday’s final, he will play the winner of the second semifinal between nine-time winner Rafael Nadal, the fourth seed, and number 10 David Goffin of Belgium. Ramos-Vinolas carried on the momentum he gained in knocking out top seed Andy Murray in the third round and fifth seed Marin Cilic in the quarters, with the slightly less notable scalp of 11th seed Pouille. The Spaniard, who saved seven of nine break points, had come to the principality with only three previous victories from 29 matches against top 10 opponents. Of the four semifinalists, only Nadal had previously reached a Masters level semifinal.
GOFFIN DOWNS DJOKOVIC
David Goffin proved too hot to handle for Novak Djokovic as the Belgian 10th seed reached the semifinals with a thrilling 6-2 3-6 7-5 victory on Friday. Former world number one Djokovic saved four match points but cracked under his opponent’s tremendous pressure on the fifth as Goffin set up a last-four meeting with claycourt king Rafael Nadal who beat Argentine Diego Schwartzman 6-4 6-4. Nadal is looking to clinch a record-extending 10th Monte Carlo title. Earlier, Spanish claycourt specialist Albert Ramos followed up his victory over world number one Andy Murraywith a 6-2 6-7 (5) 6-2 defeat of Croatian fifth seed Marin Cilic. France’s Lucas Pouille made a fast start before being made to work harder by Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas, eventually winning 6-0 3-6 7-5. In the first European claycourt tournament of the season, Serbian second seed Djokovic was overwhelmed in a one-sided opening set before playing more patiently in the second, but Goffin put on a gritty display in the decider. — AFP/Reuters
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