ATP Internazionali BNL d'Italia Betting: Nadal to master Federer on clay again

19May 2013

ATP Masters 1000

One of the most iconic rivalries in sport plays out once more in the Rome final today when Roger Federer meets Rafael Nadal and tennis expert Sean Calvert gives us his thoughts on the best bets..

Saturday's wager in the 2013 Internazionali BNL d'Italia proved to be a comfortable winner as Rafa Nadal produced another impressive performance at the Foro Italico.

The Spaniard blasted Tomas Berdych away in two sets for a 6-2, 6-4 win and that was more than enough to cover the minus 3.5 game handicap on the day.

The first set in particular was vintage Rafa and gave us all a reminder of the Pearl de Manacor's brilliant best.

Standing in Nadal's way as he seeks a seventh Rome crown in his eighth straight final of 2013 since his comeback from injury is Roger Federer and this superstar pair face off for the 30th time in their careers.

This will be their first meeting on clay since the 2011 French Open final and their first here in Rome since the epic 2006 final that Rafa won in a final set tie breaker.

Federer made it to this stage with a scratchy win over Benoit Paire, who I still can't believe has made a Masters 1000 semi final - we won't be seeing that again for a while, I'm sure - and for me he doesn't look in the kind of form to offer a sustained attack on Nadal in Rafa's favoured conditions today.

The Swiss maestro has a chance of course and he could easily put it all together today and really test Rafa, who must be getting at least slightly tired after a long spell of clay court tennis.

But Rafa doesn't really do tired and with the sun on his back and clay under his feet he can construct his usual assault on Federer's backhand until it breaks and against Berdych he did what Federer hates, which is hit winners or almost winners from defensive positions. Once he starts doing that against you you're done.

I'd like to think that this could be as compelling as that 2006 final here in the Eternal City, but pragmatism tells me that Nadal will emerge with the trophy again with enough to spare to cover the 4.5 game handicap today.