Monte Carlo Masters 2015: Novak Djokovic makes history with victory over Tomas Berdych in final

The Serb continued his remarkable start to the season with a three-set victory

Novak Djokovic celebrates his Monte Carlo Masters triumph (GETTY IMAGES)

Novak Djokovic’s remarkable start to the season continues to gather momentum. The Australian Open champion became the first player ever to win the year’s first three Masters Series tournaments when he added the Monte Carlo trophy to his Indian Wells and Miami titles. Tomas Berdych gave Djokovic his stiffest test of the week but the world No 1 triumphed 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.

Djokovic’s fourth successive Masters Series triumph – he also won in Paris in November – was a perfect way to start the clay-court season, which he will hope to finish by winning the French Open for the first time. The Serb beat Rafael Nadal, nine times the champion of Roland Garros, in the Monte Carlo semi-finals on Saturday to strike a significant psychological blow.

Berdych, on only his fourth appearance in a Masters Series final and his first for three years, made a flying start by breaking serve in the opening game. From 3-1 down Djokovic won four games in a row, though he faltered when he served for the opening set. Berdych, however, played a poor game at 5-6 and Djokovic took the set when the Czech netted a backhand.

The second set featured a 70-minute break because of rain, after which Berdych was the quicker to settle, making the crucial break of serve in the seventh game. Djokovic, nevertheless, quickly resumed control by winning the first four games of the deciding set to claim his 23rd Masters Series title.

Djokovic’s only defeat since the first week of the season was to Roger Federer in the Dubai final. He has now claimed the last six major trophies on the men’s tour – the four Masters Series titles, the Australian Open and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals – and has won 11 finals in a row.

The Czech Republic will face Russia in the final of the Fed Cup after completing victories yesterday over France and Germany respectively. Petra Kvitova sealed the win for the Czechs by beating Caroline Garcia 6-4, 6-4. The other semi-final went to a deciding doubles, in which Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina beat Andrea Petkovic and Sabine Lisicki 6-2, 6-3.