Rafael Nadal is still king of clay!
Rafael Nadal beat arch-rival Novak Djokovic earlier today to win the Italian Open and reclaim the number two ranking in men’s tennis.
Nadal, 25, won the tournament in Rome for the sixth time. It is the 49th title of his illustrious career and clearly establishes him as the favorite heading into next week’s French Open where he will be trying to win his seventh title.
Djokovic has now lost to Nadal twice this year after defeating the Spaniard seven straight times including in the finals of the 2011 US Open and Wimbledon and the 2012 Australian Open.
Nadal had dropped to number three in the rankings behind Roger Federer when he lost early at last week’s Madrid Open which Federer won. But Djokovic beat Federer in the semifinals of Rome before losing to Nadal 7-5, 6-3.
Djokovic is still firmly number one but he has not been the dominant force so far in 2012 as he was a year earlier when he opened the season with a 43-match winning streak. The loss to Nadal was his fourth of the year.
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