Novak Djokovic upped his record to 18-0 against Gael Monfils, and found his best form of 2022 so far

HIGHLIGHTS: Djokovic tops Monfils for 18th straight time

How do you know when Novak Djokovic is about to take over a match against Gael Monfils? Just wait for the Frenchman to hit a spectacular winner and bring the crowd to its feet.

It happened three times in Djokovic’s 6-3, 6-2 win in Madrid on Tuesday.

With Djokovic serving at 2-2 in the first set, the two engaged in a long rally that Monfils won with a blazing forehand. He had a break point, he had the audience ready to explode…and he hit a backhand long. Djokovic came back to hold, and then broke when Monfils played an error-filled game at 2-3.

With Djokovic serving at 2-1 in the second set, Monfils won the point of the match with a running flick forehand pass that again had the crowd at full roar. He was pumped, he was up 0-30…and then he shanked a putaway forehand, lost the next four points, and won just one more game.

With Djokovic serving for the match at 5-2 in the second set, Monfils connected on a backhand pass that went for a scorching winner. Again he had a break point, and a momentary sign of life. Then he lost the next three points and the match.

As has been the case in most of their 18 meetings over the last 17 years, Monfils produced the flashes of brilliance, and Djokovic produced the victory. The Serb ran his record to 18-0 against the Frenchman, an unprecedented mark in ATP history. Many of those contests were close, but this time Monfils couldn’t follow up the brilliant moments mentioned above. Instead of gaining confidence from his spectacular shots, he got over-amped, and then overhit.

But there was another, more important reason that this match was so one-sided: Djokovic played well. Very well, according to him.

“I would probably rate it as the best performance of the year,” he said. “I felt very good on the court.”

“When I made a break [for] 3-2, I felt a relief and I started to play on a high level in general. I think I was moving well, dictating with the forehand side, moving him around the court and finding my serve over the last few service games.”

“For this tournament I have done everything I possibly can to build my fitness, and also improve all aspects of the game, on the court,” Djokovic said, referencing his exhaustion at the end of his last match, against Andrey Rublev in Belgrade. “I’m really glad it paid off, because I felt good on the court. It’s the right process and the right direction.”

Djokovic will try to keep moving in that direction against Andy Murray in the next round.