MONACO — Fabio Fognini ended Rafael Nadal's winning streak at the Monte Carlo Masters, stunning the defending champion 6-4, 6-2 Saturday to reach the final for the first time and hand Nadal his first defeat here since a loss to Novak Djokovic in the 2015 semifinals.
Fognini had beaten Nadal twice before on clay, and also once at the U.S. Open in five sets, but this was arguably the most impressive.
''I have the game to play against him,'' the 13th-seeded Fognini said. ''I had nothing to lose.''
He wasn't concerned if Nadal was out of form.