World number two Novak Djokovic won back-to-back Masters titles for the second time in as many months, beating Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-4 for the Rome Masters crown at the Foro Italico. Unbeaten this season, Djokovic has now won 37 consecutive matches and picked up seven titles including the Australian Open, Indian Wells Masters, Miami Masters, Madrid Masters and now the Rome Masters. Despite not finishing his three-set semi-final until after 11:30pm on Saturday, Djokovic showed few signs of tiredness as he beat Nadal in straight sets for the second week in a row in claycourt final. After a three-hour delay due to persistent rain in Rome earlier in the day, Djokovic was once again in immense form as he beat Nadal in a fourth consecutive final, the Spaniard also on the losing end in Indian Wells and Miami as well as Madrid last weekend. The Serb remains number two in the world with Nadal ahead of him, the Spaniard knew he would retain top spot by reaching at least the semi-finals in the Italian capital. But Djokovic will surely head into the French Open as favourite in one week’s time after becoming just the third man to beat Nadal on clay more than once. Roger Federer and Argentine Gaston Gaudio are the only other two men to achieve such a feat. Djokovic seemed keen early on to dispel any ideas that this was going to be an easy match for the Spaniard, opening with a 10-stroke rally that he promptly won before going on to hold with some more attacking play. Nadal also stamped his authority on serve in the early stages, holding with ease to stick with Djokovic as the two players traded comfortable games. Initially it was the Spaniard who created an opportunity to take the lead, earning himself a 30-30 opportunity against the Djokovic serve in the fifth game. But the Serb was quick to recover without facing break points and went on to fashion his own chance three games later, pulling the trigger on another mammoth backhand return that saw Nadal concede his serve. The crowd quickly got behind Nadal in an attempt to inspire a break back, something the relentlessly competitive Spaniard achieved immediately when Djokovic hit a change-of-direction forehand into the net after a backhand cross court exchange. However Nadal could not maintain his challenge for the set, as Djokovic pressed once again, breaking to seal the set in the 10th game with another blistering backhand winner across court. Incredibly the Spaniard, who has been nigh on unbeatable on clay since he won his first French Open crown at Roland Garros in 2005, looked rattled at the change of ends between sets, flashing a worried look towards coach Uncle Toni. And the concern appeared fully justified when Djokovic raced through an opening hold in the second set before earning himself more break points in just the second game, swatting an off-forehand winner across court on a solid first serve from Nadal. The Spaniard saved the chance, and a second, with emphatic smash winners but he could do nothing about the third when an attempt to try something different, a sliced backhand down the line, floated wide to extend Djokovic’s lead. Not one to give up without a fight, Nadal immediately broke back again; Djokovic missing consecutive forehands, one into the net and one wide on a desperate drop shot attempt. Djokovic had chances to restore his lead in the very next game but Nadal saved two more break points before going on to hold when the Serb hit long off the backhand wing. As fatigue began to set in for Djokovic, Nadal was offered numerous mini-chances to sneak out in front, the Spaniard frequently finding himself ahead against serve. But the Serb slammed the door shut on every occasion and held from deuce for a 5-4 lead as the rain began to fall once again at the Foro Italico. Understandably keen to finish the match at the first opportunity, Djokovic raced out to a 0-30 lead against serve with another ferocious backhand winner across court, before Nadal handed the Serb three championship points with a forehand into the net. Djokovic squandered the first with a backhand well wide down the line and also saw the second snatched away from him when Nadal produced a brave, unreturnable serve down the centre of the court. Just to ratchet the tension up even further, Nadal went on to save the third match point by pushing Djokovic deep behind the baseline and eventually drawing the error from the Serb. But the 23-year-old grabbed a fourth chance with another huge forehand and made no mistake this time around as he took full advantage of a net cord to bury a cross court forehand into the court at Nadal’s feet. Djokovic, who will turn 24 on the opening day at Roland Garros, is now just five matches short of equalling John McEnroe’s record start to the 1984 season when he won his first 42 matches before losing to Ivan Lendl at the French Open. Source: Eurosport