Rafael Nadal has won a record 34th ATP Masters 1000 title with a victory over Novak Djokovic in the Italian Open final. The Spaniard, who had shared the record of 33 Masters titles with the Serbian world number one, warmed up for the defence of his French Open crown by securing his ninth Rome title. After losing in the semifinals of three straight clay-court tournaments, Nadal dominated for stretches against his longtime rival Djokovic in a 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 win for a record-extending ninth Italian Open title.

Top-ranked Djokovic, meanwhile, appeared exhausted after spending more than five and a half hours on court against Juan Martin del Potro and Diego Schwartzman the previous two days. Djokovic was also coming off the Madrid Open title last week.

Rafael Nadal

• Rafael Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player, currently ranked world No. 2 in men’s singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
• Nadal has the most clay court titles in the Open Era (57), and holds an all-time record of 11 French Open, 11 Monte-Carlo Masters and 11 Barcelona titles.
• He also has the longest single surface win streak in matches (clay courts, 81) and in sets (clay courts, 50) in the history of the Open Era.
• Nadal has won 17 Grand Slam singles titles, the second most in history for a male player, as well as a record 34 ATP Tour Masters 1000 titles, 20 ATP Tour 500 titles, and the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles.