Rafael Nadal looks different class to Nishikori

Final
Sky Sports Arena, 1.30pm Sunday

With normal service having been resumed in the clay season last year, it's difficult to oppose Rafael Nadal in his Monte Carlo Masters final clash against Kei Nishikori.

Nadal, who is chasing an 11th title in the principality, has been in his usual imperious form on the slow red courts and it's already difficult to see who can stop him claiming an 11th French Open crown.

Nishikori was 80-1 before the season's first Masters Series 1,000 clay event started. That's a real boost for a player who started the season playing in hard-court Challenger Tour events after missing the end of last year with a debilitating wrist injury.

But even though Nishikori was a two-time Open Godo champion in Barcelona in Nadal's wilderness years, it's hard to see the Japanese ace getting close to the Spaniard.

In the Fed Cup, Czech Republic carved out a 2-0 lead over Germany in Stuttgart with wins from Petra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova.

Recommendation
R Nadal -6.5 games
1pt 11-8 Coral

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