Nadal accepts Djokovic as Rome title favorite Rafael Nadal finds himself in the unaccustomed position of secocd favourite as the Rome Masters heads into the final weekend.
The Spanish world No. 1 tips his rival Novak Djokovic as the man to beat on the Foro Italico clay.
Djokovic remains an unbeaten 35-0 on the season after destroying two-time french Open finalist Robin Soderling in the quarter-finals.
Nadal has been struggling with a virus this week which almost forced him to withdraw before his third-round match. Since then, he's made slow but steady improvement. "He's playing well and is probably the favourite for every match this year," Nadal said of Djokovic, holder of six titles this season, "He beat me in Indian Wells, he beat me in Miami and he beat me in Madrid.
"But those finals with Djokovic are in the past. I'd love to play him in another final. He's beaten me three times - it can happen," said Nadal, who stands an overall 16-10 in the series with the man who has replaced Roger Federer as his main rival.
"Now he's playing well, but before I played well against him. I cannot be nervous about Novak."
