Roger Federer and Monte Carlo Masters - An affair that isn't

As Roger Federer bowed out of the Monte Carlo Masters yesterday, it continues to remain the worst performing tournament for the legend. Federer lost 4-6, 6-7(5) to Gael Monfils, as the Frenchman notched up a second straight victory on clay over the Swiss after the France-Switzerland Davis Cup final last year.

Last year, Federer entered the tournament as a wild card and went on to reach the final, where he was beaten by his compatriot Stan Wawrinka in three sets. Wawrinka too, was handed a straight sets defeat 6-1, 6-2 by the rising bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov here in Monte Carlo yesterday.

The one who is sometimes called the best tennis player ever, has lost 4 finals at the Mediterranean side clay court Masters. He reached the final of Monte Carlo for three consecutive years in 2006, 2007, 2008, losing to the Clay King Rafael Nadal, who has won Monte Carlo a record consecutive eight times from 2005 to 2012, in each of the three finals and then in 2014 losing to Wawrinka.

Federer’s unconquered tournaments

The only tournament where he has performed close to as bad is the French Open, where has lost 4 finals, all of them, again, to Rafael Nadal. But he won the Roland Garros trophy in 2009, beating Robin Soderling, as Nadal crashed out of the tournament in the fourth round.

Another tournament where he has a similar record is the Rome Masters, where he has lost 3 finals, 2 to Rafael Nadal in 2006 and 2013, and one in 2003 to Felix Mantilla. Rome Masters and Monte Carlo remain the only exceptions in an otherwise complete Roger Federer’s ATP 1000 Masters trophy stand.

Federer will now look to perform well in Rome, trying to move closer to completing his ATP Masters 1000 collection, as it begins in the second week of May. Federer will also play the inaugral edition of the Istanbul Open in the run up to French Open.