Nadal Battles Gonzalez for Rome Masters CrownPosted on May 13, 2007 World No. 2 Rafael Nadal and No. 6 Fernando Gonzalez square off in the best-of-three sets Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The winner receives 500 ATP Rankings points and €340,000 while the finalist earns 350 points and €170,000. Gonzalez has a 3-1-career advantage, with two meetings coming on clay courts. Gonzalez beat Nadal in the 2007 Australian Open quarterfinals in January. Nadal is aiming to win his fourth ATP title of the year, after winning two ATP Masters Series shields this year at Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo in addition to the Barcelona crown. He has a 20-3 career record in finals. Gonzalez, runner-up to Roger Federer at the Australian Open in January, sealed the last of his seven career ATP titles at Basel (d. Baghdatis) in October 2005. The 26-year-old Gonzalez is the first Chilean to reach the final since Marcelo Rios captured the 1998 title (d. Costa). Rios also finished runner-up in 1997 (l. to Corretja). Rios sealed last of four career ATP Masters Series title at Hamburg in 1999 (d. Zabaleta). Gonzalez finished runner-up to Federer in his only previous ATP Masters Series final at Madrid in October 2006. Now has 2-5 career record in ATP Masters Series semifinals. Gonzalez is one of five players to defeat Nadal at least three times and to own a winning record against the Spaniard in his career: NADAL STREAKS ON THE LINE – Nadal has several impressive streaks on the line going into Sunday: FIRST-TIME AMS WINNERS – Gonzalez is trying to become the fifth player over the last three seasons to win THE KING OF CLAY – Nadal is unbeaten in his last 76 clay court matches, an Open Era record. The 20-year-old Spaniard’s last loss came to Igor Andreev in the quarterfinals of Valencia on Apr. 8, 2005. During the streak, Nadal has won 12 titles. STREAK SUMMARY – During Nadal’s 76-match winning streak, which began in Monte-Carlo in April 2005, he has defeated 50 different opponents from 21 different countries. The players he has beaten the most during the streak: Federer (5), Vliegen (3), Coria (3), Ferrer (3), Gaudio (3), Berdych (2), Djokovic (2), Ferrero (2), Gasquet (2), Malisse (2), Monfils (2), Nieminen (2) Robredo (2), Seppi (2), Stepanek (2), Bracciali (2) Canas (2), Volandri (2) and Youzhny (2). He has defeated 70 right-handed opponents and six left-handed opponents. He also has a 10-5 record in tie-breaks during the streak. Here's a look at the streak by matches: ROAD TO 76 BY TOURNAMENT/EVENT (12 titles): |
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