Nadal defeated old rival Novak Djokovic 7/5, 1/6, 6/3 to win his 10th title in Rome, while 19-year-old Iga Swiatek of Poland routed the 29-year-old Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic 6/0, 6/0 to win her first trophy in Rome and third career title. The outcome in Foro Italico portrayed the state of the men and women’s games.

The old horses met again in the men’s finals, while the younger lady repeated what she did a year ago in Paris where the change of guards in the women’s game was completed. As the train moves to France, would the younger generation of male players prevail at last?

The victory in Rome was 34-year-old Nadal’s 28th career head-to-head win to the 33-year-old Djokovic’s 29. Their first encounter was in the quarterfinals of 2006 Rolland Garros where Djokovic withdrew when down 4/6, 4/6. Their most recent meeting was in the finals of 2020 Roland Garros that Nadal won 6/0, 6/2, 7/5. This year in Rome, however, both almost lost to younger players. Djokovic survived match points against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals when the rain delay halted the Greek star’s momentum. Nadal was two points from defeat by Canadian southpaw, Denis Shapovalov, who was the first player to take a set from Nadal and who could have dispatched him in the third set before Nadal took the tie breaker by seven points to three.Nadal defeated old rival Novak Djokovic 7/5, 1/6, 6/3 to win his 10th title in Rome, while 19-year-old Iga Swiatek of Poland routed the 29-year-old Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic 6/0, 6/0 to win her first trophy in Rome and third career title. The outcome in Foro Italico portrayed the state of the men and women’s games.

The old horses met again in the men’s finals, while the younger lady repeated what she did a year ago in Paris where the change of guards in the women’s game was completed. As the train moves to France, would the younger generation of male players prevail at last?

The victory in Rome was 34-year-old Nadal’s 28th career head-to-head win to the 33-year-old Djokovic’s 29. Their first encounter was in the quarterfinals of 2006 Rolland Garros where Djokovic withdrew when down 4/6, 4/6. Their most recent meeting was in the finals of 2020 Roland Garros that Nadal won 6/0, 6/2, 7/5. This year in Rome, however, both almost lost to younger players. Djokovic survived match points against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals when the rain delay halted the Greek star’s momentum. Nadal was two points from defeat by Canadian southpaw, Denis Shapovalov, who was the first player to take a set from Nadal and who could have dispatched him in the third set before Nadal took the tie breaker by seven points to three.