Rafael Nadal is in the final of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome: The Spaniard defeated Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals and can take over the top of the ATP world rankings again with a success on Sunday.
The net edge would not have needed it at all – but Novak Djokovic has gladly accepted the support: With a backhand volley that fell off the field, the Serb took two chances for a re-break, scored 4-5 with the first, much to the delight of the audience, who were very interested in a reinvigorated Djokovic – and thus in a balanced match against Rafael Nadal.
In the end, however, it was the Spanish World Ranking runner-up who, with a triumph in Foro Italico, could replace Roger Federer from the top of the charts again, who after a 7:6 (4) and 6:3 after 1:56 hours on Sunday will play either against Alexander Zverev or Marin Cilic (live from 8 pm on SKY and in our Live.Ticker) for the title at the fifth ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year.
The two opponents faced each other for the 51st time on the ATP Tour, in the eternal statistics Djokovic had the nose in front with 26:24. After his success against Kei Nishikori the day before, the two-time family man from Belgrade was happy to make it to the semi-finals for the first time after his long injury break – Rafael Nadal, however, still has to be placed in a category above the Japanese. Especially on sand.
And in the second set, the Mallorcan won Djokovic’s second service game, which increasingly verbalized his dissatisfaction in the direction of the coach box. Nadal, however, did not allow anything more with his own service, only in the eighth game Novak Djokovic sniffed the rebreak. After almost ten minutes Nadal got himself on the line with a forehand ball 5:3 and a few moments later also the match.
Now Rafael Nadal is up against Marin Cilic or Alexander Zverev. Rafael Nadal was already on the court against both of them in 2018. The Spaniard had to break off the match with Cilic at the Australian Open due to injury, in the Davis Cup against Germany Nadal was fully fit again, Zverev defeated clearly in three sets.
Here the single tableau in Rome