Rome (AFP)

Rafael Nadal gave up but Novak Djokovic, he will be at the rendezvous on Monday of the final of the Masters 1000 in Rome who, since 2005, has always argued with one of these players, when it was not not both.

One week before the kick-off of Roland Garros, the Serbian - four times crowned in Rome - will play his tenth final at Foro Italico after dominating the Norwegian Casper Ruud on Sunday (7-5, 6-3).

In the ladies final, the N.1 seed Simona Halep will try to conquer a first title in Rome, after two finals lost in 2017 and 2018. "And thank God, I will not play against Svitolina!", A- she smiles after qualifying, referring to the Ukrainian who beat her both times in the final.

This time, she will be opposed to the Czech Karolina Pliskova, who, solid, defeated her compatriot, Marketa Vondrousova, finalist at Roland Garros last year, in straight sets (6-2, 6-4).

The titles, Djokovic already has a good collection, but always a great "hunger" to win others, he assured.

In case of victory in Rome, he would clinch a 36th Masters 1000 title which would allow him to overtake Rafael Nadal (both currently have 35).

He will find in the final the Canadian Denis Shapovalov (seeded N.12) or the Argentinian Diego Schwartzman (N.8), surprising shooter of Nadal in the quarterfinals.

"I do not take anything for granted," assured Djokovic, recalling that the Argentine had "the game of his life" on Saturday against the Spaniard.

- "Djoko" jostled -

If he already has nine finals and four titles in Rome, the Serbian has not been sacred there since 2015, remaining on three lost finals (2016, 2017 and 2019).

In the semi-final, he was seriously jostled by the 34th player in the world, but was able to tighten the game in the key moments of an intense match, to the delight of the public, again authorized since Sunday (but under the threshold of 1,000 people).

These spectators, "I missed them a lot and all the players missed them", "Djoko" observed.

Besides the many "Dai Nole!"

(Come on Christmas!) Launched by this very family audience, the world No. 1 was able to rely above all on his experience and efficient service to stay afloat in the face of the enthusiasm of his opponent, the first Norwegian to play in a semi-final of Masters 1000.

In particular, he had to erase in the first round (1h10) two set points for his opponent and then three burning break points at 5-5.

The Serbian mastered the second round better, containing his nerves more than in the quarter-finals even if he still let out a few cries of anger - in Serbian - and discussed a few arbitration decisions.

- Logical final for women -

Among the women, to hope to finally win in Rome, Simona Halep will have to pass a major obstacle with the defending champion, Karolina Pliskova.

An ultimately logical final between the seeds N.1 and 2 of the tournament.

The Romanian had to work Sunday against the Spanish Garbine Muguruza, seeded N.9, to win in three sets (6-3, 4-6, 6-4).

Victorious in this duel between two former queens of Roland-Garros, Halep signed her 13th consecutive victory.

This series began before the interruption of competitions due to coronavirus with a title in Dubai in February and continued in the resumption with his title in Prague in August and his four successes in Rome this week.

Muguruza, who was the last player to beat her in January in the Australian Open semifinals, was not far from doing it again, putting the pressure on despite signs of fatigue and back pain.

With an audience having chosen the side of the Spanish: "It was good to see people again, even if it was not me they were supporting today. But I was happy to see them, I felt their energy, "Halep commented, not resentful.

© 2020 AFP