Djokovic defeats Nadal to reach Monte Carlo final

Novak Djokovic sent a message to Rafael Nadal ahead of the French Open.

The top-ranked player defeated Nadal 6-3, 6-3 on Friday at the Monte Carlo Masters. Djokovic will face Tomas Berdych in Sunday's final.

The result is notable for the surface it was played on, with Djokovic enjoying a routine win on Nadal's favored clay surface.

Nadal had previously won Monte Carlo eight years in a row, from 2005-12, but lost to Djokovic in 2013.

The tournament serves as a tuneup for next month's major at Roland Garros, where Nadal has lifted a trophy nine of the last 10 years. He previously defeated Djokovic in the 2012 and 2014 finals.