Rome 2012 Final: Nadal vs Djokovic Facts and Figures

Can someone defeat world no. 3 Rafael Nadal on clay? Consider the facts: The Spaniard has a 246-19 win-loss record on the surface, an almost perfect 93% winning percentage. Most of those losses were on his first two years on tour. Since 2005, Nadal has compiled a 219-9 clay court win-loss record, which translates to an even more impressive 96% winning percentage. He has reached the finals of clay court tournaments a staggering 39 times including his run to the 2012 Internazionali BNL d'Italia final. Of these, he has won the championship match 34 times against only four losses. Two players were responsible for those four losses. One is 16-time grand slam champion Roger Federer, and the other is world no. 1 Novak Djokovic, Nadal's opponent for the Rome tennis tournament title.

Other Nadal vs Djokovic Facts and Figures:

Nadal is attempting to win his sixth title in Rome having won every title since 2005 with the exception of 2008 and 2011. The winner at Rome on those years? It's Djokovic. The Serb is aiming to be the fifth player in history to have won three or more Rome trophies.

Nadal is going for his 35th ATP title on clay, and going for a total of 49 ATP titles which included two titles this year. This year's Rome final is his 70th ATP championship match. Djokovic is appearing on his 46th ATP final winning 30 titles including two this year. He has a 30-15 record in final matches.

Djokovic and Nadal both defeated top 10 players in back-to-back matches to reach the finals. Nadal beat world no. 7 Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals and no. 6 David Ferrer in the semifinals. Djokovic defeated world no. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinal round and no. 3 Roger Federer in the semifinal stage.

Djokovic is spending his 46th straight week at No. 1 in the ATP men's singles rankings. He reached the top ranking for the first time in July 4, 2011, the rankings published after his first Wimbledon title. Nadal will grab Federer's no. 2 ranking if he wins against Djokovic.

Nadal is tied with Federer in winning the most ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles with 20. Djokovic is in fourth place with 11 titles and he is tied with American Pete Sampras. If Nadal wins, he will break the tie and move to solo no. 1 in terms of ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles won.

Djokovic has a 30-4 win-loss record this year and has won two titles so far - in Melbourne and Miami. Nadal has a 32-4 record this year which included wins in Barcelona and Monte-Carlo.

Nadal leads the overall head-to-head series, 17-14, including 10-2 on clay. This is their fourth meeting in Rome. Nadal won the first two in 2007 (QF) and ’09 (final) before Djokovic won in last year’s final.

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs Rafael Nadal (ESP) Head-to-Head: Nadal Leads 17-14

06 Roland Garros (France) Clay QF Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-4 ret
07 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells Hard Final Rafael Nadal 6-2 7-5
07 ATP Masters 1000 Miami (U.S.A.) Hard QF Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-4
07 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Clay QF Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-3
07 Roland Garros (France) Clay SF Rafael Nadal 7-5 6-4 6-2
07 Wimbledon (Great Britain) Grass SF Rafael Nadal 3-6 6-1 4-1 ret
07 ATP Masters 1000 Montreal Hard SF Novak Djokovic 7-5 6-3
07 Tennis Masters Cup (China) Hard RR Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-4
08 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells Hard SF Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-2
08 ATP Masters Series Hamburg Clay SF Rafael Nadal 7-5 2-6 6-2
08 Roland Garros (France) Clay SF Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-2 7-6(3)
08 London / Queen's Club Grass Final Rafael Nadal 7-6(6) 7-5
08 ATP Masters Series Cincinnati Hard SF Novak Djokovic 6-1 7-5
08 Beijing Olympics (China) Hard SF Rafael Nadal 6-4 1-6 6-4
09 ESP vs. SRB WG 1st RD (Spain) Clay RR Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-4 6-1
09 ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Clay Final Rafael Nadal 6-3 2-6 6-1
09 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Clay Final Rafael Nadal 7-6(2) 6-2
09 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Clay SF Rafael Nadal 3-6 7-6(5) 7-6(9)
09 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati (U.S.A.)Hard SF Novak Djokovic 6-1 6-4
09 ATP Masters 1000 Paris (France) Hard SF Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-3
09 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Hard RR Novak Djokovic 7-6(5) 6-3
10 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard Final Rafael Nadal 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-2
10 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Hard RR Rafael Nadal 7-5 6-2
11 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells Hard Final Novak Djokovic 4-6 6-3 6-2
11 ATP Masters 1000 Miami Hard Final Novak Djokovic 4-6 6-3 7-6(4)
11 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Clay Final Novak Djokovic 7-5 6-4
11 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Clay Final Novak Djokovic 6-4 6-4
11 Wimbledon (Great Britain) Grass Final Novak Djokovic 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3
11 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard Final Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-4 6-7(3) 6-1
12 Australian Open (Australia) Hard Final Novak Djokovic 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7(5) 7-5
12 ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Clay Final Rafael Nadal 6-3 6-1