Novak Djokovic's loss paves way for first Italian Open final with neither Serb nor Rafael Nadal since 2004
The 2023 Italian Open will be the first edition of the tournament since 2004 not to feature either Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic in the final.
Nadal did not compete at the Masters 1000 event this season as he continues to recover from the hip injury he suffered at the Australian Open. Djokovic entered the tournament as the top seed and the defending champion. He booked his place in the quarter-finals following wins over Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 26th seed Grigor Dimitrov and 13th seed Cameron Norrie.
The Serb faced seventh seed Holger Rune in the quarter-finals and the Dane started the match strongly by winning the opening set 6-2. Djokovic fought back in the second set and won it 6-4 to force the match into a decider.
Rune started the final set brilliantly and broke the Serb's serve twice to take a 4-0 lead. The Dane eventually went on to win the set 6-2 to seal his place in the semi-finals of the Italian Open.
Djokovic's defeat to Rune means that neither the Serb nor Rafael Nadal will compete in the final of the Masters 1000 tournament in Rome for the first time since 2004
One of the most extraordinary sporting streaks comes to an end...
Neither Novak Djokovic nor Rafael Nadal will be in the @InteBNLdItalia final for the first time since 2004 🤯
#IBI23 https://t.co/HzZrWKwXDh
Nadal and Djokovic are the two most successful players in the history of the Italian Open, with the Spaniard winning the tournament ten times while the Serb triumphed on six occasions. Both players reached the final of the competition 12 times each.
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic locked horns in 6 Italian Open finals
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic faced each other in six finals at the Italian Open, the first of which came in 2009, with the Spaniard winning 7-6 (2), 6-2. The King of Clay won four title clashes while the Serb won the other in 2011 (6-4, 6-4) and 2014 (4-6, 6-3, 6-3).
The last time Nadal and Djokovic squared off in the final in Rome was in 2021, with the former winning 7-5, 1-6, 6-3.
Following his defeat to Rune, the Serb currently has a 20-4 record in 2023, winning the Australian Open and the Adelaide International 2. He will next compete at the French Open as the second seed.
Djokovic reached the quarter-finals of the clay-court Major last year before losing 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) to Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard is currently still recovering so that he can compete at the French Open.