Rafael Nadal will have another chance to set the record with the most ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles on Sunday when he meets top-ranked and defending champion Novak Djokovic at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia tournament. The Spaniard overcame compatriot David Ferrer 7-6, 6-0 on Saturday.
“[It is the] best thing possible after a fantastic time in Barcelona and Monte-Carlo, to keep playing in a clay tournament and then being in the final without losing a set is something fantastic and I am happy,” Nadal said.
“Rome for me is an important tournament and I am here for the seventh time and I couldn’t have imagined this a few years ago,” he added.
Nadal won the Monte-Carlo Masters title last month to clinch his 20th Masters-level title. Last week, his rival Roger Federer won the Madrid Masters, his 20th Masters-level trophy.
“The first set was unbelievable, how David set the match with amazing rhythm and aggression,” said Nadal.
“His movements were unbelievably good and so I did the best possible for me. The thing that I tried to do was to maintain the score close. After the first seven games of the match [it was] more equal; before it was not,” he added.