Rivals ready to pounce on out-of-form Nadal

Monte Carlo: Rafael Nadal`s reputation as the beast of the European clay could be due for a revision at this week`s Monte Carlo Masters as rivals begin to discover the champion at the last five editions could be beatable -- even on his favoured surface.

"He`s been so dominant for so long on clay, but everyone knew that just couldn`t last," said top seed Novak Djokovic Monday as he waited for his opening match in the second round later in the week. "But his level is now down just a bit and others are starting to get confidence and the belief that they have a chance to beat him," said the Serb, who lost high-profile 2009 clay finals with the four-time Roland Garros champion at Monte Carlo and Rome. "He`s been through some injuries and he`s not played on clay since Paris last year. But he wants to repeat his success and he`s surely motivated now that it`s clay season." Over the past year, the formerly invincible Nadal has been through knee injury and back problems and has begun to lose with more regularity to Top-10 players. He has not won a title since the Rome Masters last year. Recent defeats have included Andy Roddick in Miami, Andy Murray at the Australian Open, Nikolay Davydenko at Doha, London and Shanghai, Roger Federer in the Madrid final and Swede Robin Soderling in the Roland Garros fourth round shocker 11 months ago. Spain`s Fernando Verdasco agreed that things are changing in the game. "He`s (Nadal) not won a title since Rome and that`s not normal," said the number 12 who is working his way through a 2010 nerve problem in his back and trying to play through thanks to rehab and exercise. Verdasco called Nadal`s situation "strange to people." "He`s supposed to win every event, or almost every event, But now things are getting more equal among top players. Anyone can beat anyone, it`s not like a year ago when Nadal and Federer dominated. "But Rafa remains number one on the clay and he`s still the player to beat at every event on this surface," added the sixth seed. With showcase players waiting for a start, lesser seeds took centre stage. Tenth seed Tomas Berdych showed his Miami final against Roddick was no fluke with his opening defeat of Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-1, while Latvia`s Ernests Gulbis put out Swiss Marco Chiudinelli 6-3, 6-2. David Nalbandian`s comeback from hip surgery and abdominal injuries continued with a win over German Andreas Beck 6-3, 6-1 while Jeremy Chardy became the first French victim of the week with a loss to Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan 6-2, 7-6 (7/2). Bureau Report