Rafael Nadal

Nadal waits out the rain with rivals on his mind

Nadal waits out the rain with rivals on his mind Rome - Rafael Nadal waited out steady rain Tuesday at the Rome Masters along with the rest of the field, his thoughts filled with fears that events on his clay-court surface of choice are in decline. "Every year for last years we have less tournaments on clay," said the top seed who lifted a fifth title at the weekend in Barcelona.

Nadal stays well clear at top of ATP rankings

Nadal stays well clear at top of ATP rankings Hamburg- Rafael Nadal kept a clear lead at the top of the men's tennis rankings issued on Monday by the ATP. Spain's Nadal, who won a fifth straight title at Barcelona on Sunday, leads with 14,890 points, followed by former number one Roger Federer of Switzerland on 10,060 and Serbia's Novak Djokovic on 9,160 points.

The leading six are unchanged, but Gilles Simon of France moves up two places to seventh.

Nadal, Ferrer set up repeat of 2008 Barcelona final

Rafael Nadal Barcelona - Spaniards Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer will clash for the second straight year in a Barcelona Open final after cruising to solid semi-final victories on Saturday. Nadal, his devastating form improving even further as he heads toward the dream of five trophies in succession at the Real club, dispatched Russian third seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-2 in windy conditions to reach the Sunday showdown.

Ferrer, the scampering, retrieving number four, outlasted determined Chilean Fernando Gonzalez 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) as the South American made a recovery from 5-2 down in the second set to eventually force a tiebreaker.

Nadal extends lead at top of ATP rankings

Nadal extends lead at top of ATP rankings Hamburg - Rafael Nadal extended his lead at the top of the men's tennis rankings issued on Monday by the ATP thanks to a fifth straight victory Sunday in the Monte Carlo Masters.

Spain's Nadal leads with 15,390 points, followed by former number one Roger Federer of Switzerland on 10,760 and Serbia's Novak Djokovic on 9,520 points.

Nadal outlast Djokovic to win fifth straight title in Monte Carlo

Nadal outlast Djokovic to win fifth straight title in Monte Carlo Monte Carlo  - Rafael Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters for a record fifth straight time on Sunday, spending nearly three hours in fighting off dogged Serb Novak Djokovic, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.

The laboured victory pulls Nadal even with New Zealand's Anthony Wilding, who won five (non-consecutive) titles at the event from 1908 onwards.

The Spaniard had to fight for two and three-quarters hours against the determined number three Djokovic, who handed Nadal his first dropped set since the 2006 final against Roger Federer.

Nadal to face Djokovic for a fifth Monte Carlo

Rafael Nadal Monte Carlo  - Rafael Nadal escaped a late struggle from Andy Murray with a straight-sets win to reach his fifth consecutive final at the Monte Carlo Masters on Saturday with a date now looming against Novak Djokovic.

Nadal won his 26th match in a row at the venue as he secured a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) result in well over two hours.

He has also won 30 consecutive Monte Carlo sets since the 2006 final against Roger Federer and completed his 20th straight match win on clay dating to last May in Rome.

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