Double strike in Monte Carlo and Roland Garros? Rafael Nadal did it (nine times!).

Anyone who wins the title at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo can also count on good chances a few weeks later in Roland Garros. Ask Rafael Nadal : He did this double strike nine times.

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When statistically considering the major clay court tournaments of the recent past, the Nadal factor must always be taken into account. It's certainly not wrong to say that the Spanish grandmaster has generally gotten stronger with each appearance between Monte Carlo and Paris. The only problem for Nadal's opponents was always: Rafa played at a level right from the start that hardly anyone else brought to the ashes at the Monte Carlo Country Club. And so it is not surprising that the high correlation between the winners of the first sand 1000s of the season and those in Roland Garros is surprisingly high.

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But be careful: there are exceptions. See about the last year. Stefanos Tsitsipas won his first title at the highest ATP tour level in Monte Carlo (excluding the finals) and "only" reached the final in Paris. The last champion on the Cote d'Azur before Tsitsipas was Fabio Fognini. But then in Roland Garros 2019 he had no chance of the even bigger coup and was eliminated against Alexander Zverev in the round of 16.

Nadal will miss Monte Carlo 2022

But back to Nadal: He won eleven titles in Monte Carlo. And in nine of those eleven years also those in Paris. The exceptions? In 2009, Nadal was eliminated by Robin Söderling in Roland Garros, and Roger Federer won the tournament. And in 2016 Rafa left Paris injured while Novak Djokovic celebrated his first triumph there.

However, the current edition of the classic on the Terre Battue will not be quite as meaningful: Rafael Nadal will not start due to his rib injury. Nevertheless: The winner in Monte Carlo should also be expected again in Roland Garros. At least for a place in the final weekend.

Here the winners in Monte Carlo and Roland Garros since 2000

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