World No.1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia will tackle No.3 Spaniard Rafael Nadal in their sixth Italian Open title conflict on Sunday.
In the second semi-final match, performed on Saturday, prime seed Djokovic beat native hope Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-2. Second seed Nadal had earlier overwhelmed American Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-4, breaking as soon as in every set.
Nadal holds the edge with three wins to Djokovic’s two in earlier finals. The Spaniard is bidding for a tenth Italian Open title and his opponent a sixth.
Italian Open 2021, Djokovic vs Nadal Match details
Fixture: Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic
Date: sixteenth May 2021
Match timing:Â 8.30 PM IST
Tournament:Â Italian Open 2021
Round: Final
Venue: Rome, Italy
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Red clay
Prize cash: €2,082,960
How to watch Italian Open 2021 Live Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal Live in India?
Italian Open 2021 Live Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal in India might be obtainable on TennisTV
Sunday’s encounter might be a rematch of the 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2019 finals. The two gamers will meet for the 57th time.
Djokovic and Nadal have confronted off eight occasions beforehand at the Foro Italico, relationship again to their first assembly in the 2007 quarter-finals. Nadal gained that match comfortably, earlier than their rivalry grew over the years.
Nadal has a 5-3 lead in their Rome matchups whereas Djokovic now boasts the general ATP Head2Headvert edge in their legendary rivalry (29-27).
On Saturday, Sonego saved two match factors in the second set, earlier than Djokovic gained the match in the third.
“I only have myself to blame for not closing the match in straight sets. I need to recover, that’s what I’m focused on,” mentioned Djokovic.
“I don’t have much time and I’ve played a lot of tennis so, hopefully, I’ll have fresh legs, because that’s what I’ll definitely need and it’s necessary in order to have a chance against Rafa.”
Nadal’s win towards Opelka in his five hundredth match on clay prolonged his file to 458 wins and 42 losses. The win maintained the Spaniard’s good file in semi-finals in the Italian capital.
Djokovic says Nadal is his greatest rival
“It’s great to play him again in the final. He’s the guy that I have encountered the most in my career,” Djokovic mentioned after his semi-final match.
“[He is] definitely my biggest rival of all time. Playing him on clay in the finals of one of the biggest tournaments in the world is always extra motivating for me. Even after all we have been through in our careers there’s still this excitement when we have to face each other.”
Djokovic might be aiming for a powerful begin and an early lead towards Nadal on Sunday, as he is aware of higher than anybody how harmful it may be to give the Spaniard any form of a bonus on the pink clay.
Djokovic beat Sonego in two hours and 44 minutes. By distinction, Nadal spent simply over an hour and a half on courtroom on Saturday in his semi-final towards big-serving Reilly Opelka, breaking as soon as in every set of his 6-4, 6-4 victory.
“I think I played the match that I had to play…I had two breaks, two sets. That’s a positive thing for me. [To] be in the final again here means a lot to me,” Nadal mentioned at his post-match press convention.
“I have been playing better, worse, but always [trending] in a positive line. I am playing better when the weeks are coming. Here, I had a very tough draw and I was able to find a way to be in the final.”
