Rome (AFP)
Rafael Nadal will play Sunday in the Masters 1000 final in Rome in an attempt to win a tenth crown, after taking the upper hand on Saturday over the American Reilly Opelka (47th worldwide), the surprise guest of the last four, 6-4, 6-4.
Two weeks before the kickoff of Roland-Garros (May 30-June 13), the Mallorcan has found his marks on the clay he loves so much.
He made good use of his Roman week to bury the few doubts born of his failures in the quarterfinals during the two previous Masters 1000 on ocher, in Monte-Carlo and Madrid.
After strengthening his endurance during the first rounds, with in particular a round of 16 marathon (3h30) against the Canadian Denis Shapovalov (14th world) where he had to save two match points, "Rafa" this time worked on his return from service against Opelka's supersonic face-offs (2.11 m).
The American signed a few more aces (11), but this time could not avoid dropping two service games, he who had climbed to the semifinals without losing the least set or the slightest face-off.
A break in each round was thus enough for Nadal, seeded N.2, to pass the obstacle quite quietly and to go to his twelfth final in Rome (and his 52nd in the Masters 1000).
To win his tenth coronation in the Eternal City, he will have to either beat his best enemy, the world No.1 Novak Djokovic - the two men have already met five times in the final in Rome - or the Italian Lorenzo Sonego (33rd).
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