Novak Djokovic saw off a spirited Tomas Berdych to claim the Monte Carlo Masters title on Sunday .
It was the Serb’s 17th straight win as he looks in imperious form ahead of the French Open.
The first set it looked like it was going to a tie-break but Djokovic broke Berdych in Game 11 and then wrapped up the set 7-5 with a comfortable hold.
Berdych responded in style in the second, breaking the world No 1 and holdding his own on serve to clinch it 6-4.
That seemed to rile Djokovic, who raced into a double-break 4-0 lead in the third, before Berdych broke back and got to 4-2.
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The Czech Republic reached their fourth Fed Cup final in five years when Petra Kvitova beat Caroline Garcia 6-4, 6-4 to help the holders beat France 3-1 on Sunday.
They will face Russia, who beat Germany 3-2 in the other semi-final, in the Novemver 14-15 final.
Lucie Safarova earned the first Czech point by beating Garcia 4-6, 7-6, 6-1 on Saturday after saving five match points in front of a boisterous crowd at Ostrava’s CEZ arena.
Kvitova swept aside Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 6-4 to make it 2-0.
World No 4 Kvitova was barely troubled on Sunday by Garcia, who threatened a second-set comeback when she bagged three games in a row after falling 5-1 down.
But Kvitova was just too good and wrapped up victory with a forehand winner to give her team an unassailable lead.
Mladenovic and Pauline Parmentier then beat Safarova and Barbora Strycova 0-6 6-3 10-8 in a doubles with nothing at stake.
“Kvitova was well above our players,” France captain Amelie Mauresmo said.
“Let’s face it, their four players were stronger than our number one on paper.”