Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters
The Monte-Carlo Masters, officially known as the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters due to sponsorship, is a prestigious annual tennis tournament for male professionals. It takes place in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, near the border of Monaco, and is hosted on clay courts at the Monte Carlo Country Club each April. This tournament is one of the nine ATP Tour Masters 1000 events. Rafael Nadal holds the record for the most men's singles titles, having won the event eleven times.
Established in 1896 as the Monte-Carlo International, the tournament was renamed the Monte-Carlo Championships the following year. It was a combined men's and women's event until 1982 when the women's competition was discontinued.
History
In April 1896, the first Monte Carlo International lawn tennis tournament was established. According to Wimbledon librarian Alan Little, George Whiteside Hillyard won the inaugural men's singles title. However, the winner of the women's event remains uncertain, with Little suggesting it may have been either Miss K. Booth of Great Britain or Mlle Guillon of France, though extensive research has not confirmed the result.
The tournament was initially held on red shale clay courts at the Lawn Tennis de Monte-Carlo, located in cellars beneath the Grand Hôtel de Paris, until 1905. In 1906, the event and its club moved to La Condamine, where it was played from 1907 to 1914, and again in 1920. For a brief period, the tournament was played on the roof of a garage in Beausoleil, before relocating to a new venue on January 28, 1921, named the "La Festa Country Club," which featured three additional tennis courts, spectator stands, and a new clubhouse.
The tournament became an "Open" event in 1969. From 1971 to 1972, and again from 1978 to 1989, it was a major tournament on the Grand Prix Tour. In 1973, it was part of the Rothmans Spring Mediterranean Circuit, and from 1974 to 1977, it was included in the World Championship Tennis (WCT) circuit. In 1990, it became an ATP Championship Series Single Week event, later known as the Masters series. Since 2009, Monte Carlo has been the only Masters tournament without mandatory player participation.
Rafael Nadal achieved an unprecedented feat by winning the title eight consecutive times from 2005 to 2012, making him the only tennis player to win eight consecutive titles at the same tournament. In 2018, Nadal secured his eleventh title, defeating Kei Nishikori in the final, setting an all-time record.