“I think in the tiebreak I made too many unforced errors”, he said.
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Murray is bidding to win the third clay-court title of his career after finally succeeding on the surface in back-to-back tournaments a year ago.
The UK’s Andy Murray remained on course for a second successive Masters final with Serbia’s No. 1 Novak Djokovic after both came through the quarterfinals in Rome on Friday.
Nadal, who came close to achieving the all-but-impossible task of replacing Stan Wawrinka at No 4 in the world rankings in time for the French Open, has earned 2,040 ranking points on European clay this spring compared with Murray’s 1,960.
It was a similar story in the second set, with Murray repeatedly drawing his opponent into the net and setting up the passing shot.
Amid the gloom of a rain-threatened final in Rome, Djokovic seemed stressed at times, but has a week to regroup before beginning his latest campaign in Paris. “It felt definitely special to be on the court today playing against Rafa for several hours, ” Djokovic said.
The 24th-ranked Keys broke Serena at love in the opening game of the match and hit six aces in her opening two service games to take a 3-1 lead.
Earlier, Serena Williams ended a nine-month title drought with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Madison Keys in an all-American women’s final.
He was heard saying: “Don’t want to play any more”.
“But in terms of the way I’ve played the last few weeks, from Monte Carlo through to now, it’s been as good as I’ve played on clay so I’m hoping for a good tournament there”.
epa05308270 Britain’s Andy Murray (L) poses with his trophy after defeating Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in their men’s final of the Italian Open tennis tournament at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, 15 May 2016.
It’s Williams’ fourth title in Rome and it comes exactly a week before the French Open begins.
However, with the French Open looming, he warned his rivals: “My confidence level is high because of the many matches that I have won this year on this surface and all the other surfaces, so I don’t feel that I’m doubtful or that I’m shaken up by this loss”.
“If you’re able to weather the storm and stay with her, every once in a while you get one or two opportunities, and it’s (all about) taking those opportunities”.
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Williams is one Grand Slam victory away from equalling Steffi Graf’s record of 22 singles titles in the Open era. But the 21-year-old American maintained her composure and finished it by winning two of the next three points.
