Djokovic's shadow hangs over subdued Nadal in Monte Carlo

(Reuters) - In-form Novak Djokovic is not even competing at this week's Monte Carlo Masters yet Rafael Nadal can still sense the Serb lurking in the shadows as the claycourt season begins in stifling sunshine.

For a man who won every clay tournament he entered last year and who at Monte Carlo is bidding to be the first player in the open era to win the same event seven times in a row, the Spanish world number one was remarkably subdued on Monday.

Two straight final defeats to Djokovic on the hard courts at Indian Wells and Miami have left their mark despite the switch to clay and the Serb's absence from Monte Carlo to rest a knee injury.

"I feel very beatable when I go on court. The last six years on clay, I could never have imagined what I did. It's almost impossible to repeat a season like last year," Nadal told reporters at the Country Club, perched above the shimmering sea.

"It's almost a year since I've played on clay. As usual, I try to watch videos (of myself) to remember what I have to do. Last year I started to play and felt fantastic from the beginning. Every year is different. You need matches."

World number two Djokovic, whose injury is expected to clear up in the next few days, has won 24 straight matches in 2011 and nine-times Grand Slam champion Nadal reckons that form can be transferred onto clay despite the Serb skipping this week.

"I'm sure on clay he's going to be good," Nadal said, muscles bulging out of his shirt sleeves.

"This year Novak has a lot of advantages. He is in a perfect situation to be number one. I'm sure he'll be number one next month. He started the season playing unbelievably. In my opinion he didn't even play his top level in Indian Wells and Miami."

Nadal, who fought to keep the glamorous but small scale Monte Carlo tournament a Masters event, has such an attachment to Monaco that he had a special audience with Prince Albert on Sunday.

"I played my best tennis ever on clay I think here last year," added Nadal, due to play his first match on Wednesday. "This place is one of my favorites in the world."

World number three Roger Federer was keen to point out he is no mug on clay as the build up to next's month's French Open begins.

"I feel very strong on the surface. It's the surface I grew up on. Everybody knows that by now. I can make a huge step forward," the Swiss said.

If Federer's recent form is patchy, Andy Murray's has been downright dreadful since his Australian Open final defeat to Djokovic and the Briton is no nearer to finding a new coach.

"I'm not any closer. I'm trying to concentrate on playing," the world number four said.

"I feel better this year, I just haven't been playing well in the matches. I'm sure this week there will be a few upsets."

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Djokovic defeats Nadal to win Indian Wells crown

INDIAN WELLS, California (AP) – Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic won the ATP Indian Wells title, rallying to beat world No. 1 Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 and improve his record this season to 18-0.

Djokovic, who took over the No. 2 world ranking by beating Roger Federer in the semi-finals, on Sunday avenged a loss to Nadal in the 2007 Indian Wells final.

The 23-year-old Serbian has looked invincible this season and Sunday's victory in the California desert underlined that.

Djokovic fired four aces, including two key ones to hold serve in the second set, in the two-hour, 25-minute match to capture his second Indian Wells crown.

"I am having the best period of my life on the tennis court," Djokovic said. "I am playing with a lot of confidence. I'm feeling the ball well on the court. I'm very dedicated and I have a big will to win each match.

"So it will not stop here."

Djokovic took the second set in dramatic style, winning a marathon ninth game on the sixth set point after Nadal had saved five. The game, which lasted over 10 minutes, ended when Nadal hit a backhand wide in front of a near-capacity crowd of about 15,000.

It was part of a six-game win streak for Djokovic that stretched from the end of the second and into the third set and proved to be the turning point.

"I managed to hold that very important game and then I was on a roll," Djokovic said. "I felt that this is the time when I had to use my opportunity and step in and be more aggressive and take it to him, and that's what I did.

"It was just couple of points in the end of the second set that kind of turned the match around."

Nadal hit another sliding forehand into the net on match point, sparking a celebration from Djokovic, who clenched both fists, threw his head back and screamed at the top of his lungs.

Djokovic broke Nadal in the first game of the third set and cruised to victory from there. He hammered aces on the final points to hold serve in the fourth and sixth games.

Djokovic has compiled an incredible 18-match win streak this season and is 20-0 dating to the Davis Cup final in December. Besides winning the Australian Open this season, he captured his 20th career title last month in Dubai.

"I am extremely happy with the way I'm playing and with the success that I'm having," Djokovic said. "But I know that the season is very long and I don't want to be too euphoric about the win. I need to celebrate a little bit and then move on."

Nadal had his serve broken five times in the match, including twice at the beginning of the final set.

Nadal had a dreadful time controlling his serve, especially in the second set when he won just two points off his first serve the entire set.

"I was just thinking, 'Please put one in,'" Nadal said. "The serve was the difference today."

Two-time Indian Wells winner Nadal was on a blistering pace of his own this week as he came into the final having dropped just one set in the tournament.

But Sunday's loss leaves Nadal without an ATP title this season. His last victory came in Tokyo in October.

Nadal said he sees Djokovic as the main threat to his world No. 1 ranking.

"Djokovic is in the best position," Nadal said. "We will see what's going on during the clay season. After the first six months of the season we start to see what are the chances of everybody.

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