Internazionali BNL d'Italia - an ATP Masters 1000 category tournament, on Red Clay, in Rome, Italy, 11-19 May 2019.
Defending champion:
Rafa Nadal (1) who defeated Alexander Zverev (2) 6-1 1-6 6-3
- Novak Djokovic (1) v Diego Schwartzman
In both of the two matches previously played between the two, Djokovic had won, most recently at Roland Garros in 2017, where Schwartzman led two sets to one before losing in five.
For seven games in the Rome semi final, Schwartzman was again impressive, winning his first two games to love, and forcing Djokovic to work hard to win points. Neither player faced a break point in this period.
Djokovic pounced in the eighth game as Schwartzman struggled to land his first serve. The break came, and Djokovic converted the second of three set points when serving at 5-3 in the next game. 6-3 to the world number one.
Schwartzman, after five competitive games of set two produced no break opportunities, broke the Djokovic serve, leading to a sequence of assaults on the person at the line. Four successive service breaks, including when Schwartzman served for the set at 5-3, eventually led to a tie break at 6-6.
Djokovic led 2-1 on serve in the tie break, but Schwartzman then took over completely, winning the next six points and levelling the match at 3-6 6-7(2).
The decider was decidedly miserly, permitting one solitary break point to be issued, this to Djokovic in the sixth game. This was hungrily lapped up and converted into a service break and Djokovic kept it close to him until serving out the match.
Novak Djokovic won 6-3 6-7(2) 6-3.
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Rafa Nadal (2)
Nadal led in the head to head battle prior to this match 3-1. Two of those matches had been contested this year - Nadal won in the Australian Open semis in January, and only last week, Tsitsipas recorded a famous victory in the Madrid semi final.
In Rome this time, Nadal broke for a 2-0 lead and then immediately was on the back foot, having to save two break chances himself.
No further break chances occurred, therefore presenting Nadal with the opening set 6-3.
In game three of set two, Tsitsipas led 30-15, but Nadal brought it back, winning the next two points to have a break point. This was saved, as was a second, and the young Greek star even earned a game point. Ultimately though Nadal converted his third break point to lead 2-1.
That represented the first and final threat to serve in set two, and at 5-4 Nadal delivered a love game to win the match.
Rafa Nadal won 6-4 6-4 and would play Novak Djokovic in the final.
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