Nadal Beats Djokovic To Win 9th Rome Title

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after winning against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas during their ATP Masters tournament semi final tennis match at the Foro Italico camp in Rome, on May 18, 2019. Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP


Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 to win a ninth Italian Open title and a record 34rd Masters crown on Sunday.

World number one Djokovic, winner at the Madrid Open last week, produced an error-strewn performance in his 54th meeting with second-ranked Nadal.

Nadal overtakes Djokovic at the top of the list for Masters wins — the pair were level at 33 each before Sunday’s final — in a timely boost ahead of his assault on a 12th French Open crown in a week’s time.