Final: Djokovic Win Continues 37-0 Mark, Gets by Rafa Nadal in Rome

There was little disparity between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal starting this third Sunday’s match on May 15, 2011.

The match was held at the Internazionali BNL D’italia in Rome.

The first few games of this blockbuster were decidedly even, with service holds and magnificent shot making. Flurries of brilliance from the two were evident.   .

At 4-3 in the first set, on serve, we notice a slight change in focus. When the two started to hit balls in the short court resulting in net approaches, or driving the ball deep for the lines—it was a clear sign they wanted to get the welcome’s out of the way in this best of three set affair.

After all, Djokovic had his 36-0 win streak at steak.

Nole began to open the door in the first set at 4-3 on serve. In that game, he had earned two break point chances, and was knocking at the door.

With his two break points, Djokovic wasted little time and earned a break of serve from an errant backhand. The score with the break was 5-3 in favor of Djokovic, Novak serving.

Right away he came out of the blocks with a whoosh by drawing a short ball from Nadal. Then he succinctly put the ball away, and earned himself a 6-3 first set.

The second set had similar significance at 3-2 on serve. While Nadal squared it at three, the seventh game of the set is where Rafa was pulled out wide, and just got back the shot. Djokovic then passed Nadal from the net.

While we may think that Rafa's favorite shot is the forehand down the line on the ad side, or Novak's inside out forehand to the ad court, in recent history, do we know what happened to the inside out backhand?

That must have occured during the heyday of Jim Courier, who used the whole repertoire of shots.

Novak had two break points in the second set, and decidedly though it was an opportune moment to stretch for the cup again. Putting one foot in front of the other, he determinedly closed the door halfway with a break to go 5-3 up.

Point-by-point, Rafa got back the serve a little short as Novak past him on the backhand side. Point two is where we gather that the Spaniard never had a lead throughout the match, as explained by former ATP World Tour Pro and play by play announcer Rob Koenig.

During this 10^th game, and with a 5-4 lead, Djokovic with the break up, leads to point two. Djokovic collected point two on another approach to the net for a put away.

He went onto to take the third point as well, and lead 40-0. During these final games, the crowd at the Internazionali BNL D’italia in Rome started to chant "Nole! Nole! Nole!"

We go onto triple Championship point off of the Nadal serve. He pulls back to 15-40 and later to 30-40, still Championship point for the Serb. Nadal pulls back again to deuce with a whip forehand taking Djokovic out wide, unable to make the return.

Eventually, Rafa brings the game back to deuce as were many of the games of this best of three set match. If Djokovic wins, he will also need to win the French to tie Guillermo Vilas’ all time record on clay, 44-0.

Following this pattern of play, Djokovic pulls ahead once again for his fourth Championship point of this game.

Nadal draws Novak into the net again, as Djokovic brushes aside another forehand winner for the victory. Djokovic hit 26 winners to Nadal’s 14 for the match.

Match time was two hours and thirteen minutes. Finally, Nole was let in and by the end of the match, closed the door on a straight sets victory, 6-4 and 6-4.