Italian Open: Djokovic to play Nadal in final
Rome, May 19 (UNI): World number one Novak Djokovic will face defending champion Rafael Nadal in the finals of Italian Open after a 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 victory over Diego Schwartzman.
Djokovic, who saved two match points in his quarter-final win over Juan Martin del Potro, beat Schwartzman in two hours 31 minutes on Saturday.
"He's my greatest rival of all time. Every time we get to play each other it's a thrill. It's the ultimate challenge," Djokovic said on his face off with Nadal.
On the other hand, defending champion Nadal reached his 50th Masters 1000 final with a 6-3 6-4 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.
“The main thing is I am playing better. For me, tomorrow is an opportunity to play against a great player. It’s another test. I hope to be ready to compete well. It’s going to be a tough one," said Nadal.
It will be the 54th career meeting between Djokovic and Nadal, with Djokovic leading the series 28-25. The pair has split the four Italian Open finals they've played.
Nadal and Djokovic last met in the Australian Open final which was won by Djokovic in straight sets.
Meanwhile, Nadal had lost in the semi-finals of his last four tournaments, including a defeat against Tsitsipas last weekend in Madrid.
Nadal is aiming for a record-extending ninth trophy in Rome while Djokovic is seeking his fifth title at the Foro Italico.
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