Federer, Djokovic struggle to unlock Nadal mystery
Sunday, 26 April 2009
ROME, Apr 25(AFP): Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic launch their latest attempts to derail Rafael Nadal's non-stop, claycourt express at the Rome Masters which gets under way at the Foro Italico Sunday.
Nadal won three successive titles here until last year when he suffered a shock second round loss to Spanish compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero.
With Federer losing to Radek Stepanek in the quarter-finals, Djokovic seized his opportunity to take the title beating Stanislas Wawrinka in the final.
However, if Federer and Djokovic, the world numbers two and three respectively, had been hoping Nadal's early exit in 2008 was to signal a rapid decline, they were in for a devastating wake-up call.
Nadal won three successive titles here until last year when he suffered a shock second round loss to Spanish compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero.
With Federer losing to Radek Stepanek in the quarter-finals, Djokovic seized his opportunity to take the title beating Stanislas Wawrinka in the final.
However, if Federer and Djokovic, the world numbers two and three respectively, had been hoping Nadal's early exit in 2008 was to signal a rapid decline, they were in for a devastating wake-up call.