Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal has won the Rome Masters seven times so far Getty

Rafael Nadal takes on Novak Djokovic in the men's singles quarter-final clash of the Rome Masters on Friday (13 May).

Where to watch live

Match starts at 3pm BST. Live coverage in the UK is on Sky Sports 3 and Sky Sports 3 HD. Click here for the live streaming link. Live scores and regular updates will be available on ATP's official website.

Overview

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic's legendary rivalry will continue when they face off in the Rome Master's quarter-final on Friday. Stretched to the limit by world number 20 Nick Kyrgios in the round of 16, Nadal showed why he is one of the best players in tennis history, eventually winning 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4.

The seven-time Rome Masters winner is in the form of his life at the moment, arguably playing better than the tournaments at Monte Carlo and Barcelona, where he won the title. He definitely looks at his best but that can only be judged by the result against Djokovic later on Friday.

If he wins against the Serb, it will just be a matter of time before we see the Spaniard lifting his eighth Rome Masters title.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have played each other 48 times in ATP Tennis history Getty

The world number one comes into the clash after almost suffering a scare against Brazilian Thomaz Belluci in the round of 16 encounter. The Serb losing the first set 0-6, the first time that an opponent has inflicted a bagel set on Djokovic since 2012.

However, the Serb proved why he is the best player in the world by quickly putting things right and winning the match 0-6, 6-3, 6-2. Djokovic looks a tad tired but with Nadal on the horizon, he generally puts on his best show for the big games. Expect the 49<sup>th encounter between these two giants to be a cracker of a contest.

Betting odds (betfair)

  • Rafael Nadal to win: 2
  • Novak Djokovic to win: 1/3

Head-To-Head

The duo have faced each other 48 times in ATP Tennis history, with Djokovic holding a slim 25-23 advantage. They last took on each other at the semi-finals of the Indian Wells Masters earlier this year, with the Serb winning 7-6, 6-2.

Rome Masters History

Nadal and Djokovic have played each other five times at the Rome Masters, with Nadal winning three times. However the Serb was victorious during their last clash in the final of the 2014 edition, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic