THROWBACK VIDEO: Nadal defeats Coria to win second ATP Masters 1000 title at the 2005 Rome Masters
ATP
Rafael Nadal is undoubtedly the greatest clay-court player of any generation, and the Spaniard has amassed more titles and records on clay than anyone in tennis history.
However, in 2005 a burgeoning Nadal was yet to hit the peak of his prowess. The then-18-year old had missed the 2004 clay court season due to a stress fracture in his left ankle. Nonetheless, he dominated the 2005 spring clay court season, winning 24 consecutive singles matches to set a new Open Era record for consecutive wins by a teenager.
During this historic run he debuted at the Rome Masters, cruising through the opening rounds and dropping just a total of eight games in three matches. He would then defeat Czech Radek Stepanek in the quarterfinals and compatriot David Ferrer in the semifinals to advance to his second consecutive Masters final (Monte Carlo 2005).
Nadal would face 2004 French Open runner-up Guillermo Coria in the final. This would be their second straight encounter in a final, as Nadal had just defeated the Argentine in Monte Carlo to win his maiden Masters trophy. In an insane five and a half hour epic, Nadal triumphed 6-4 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6(6) to claim his second consecutive ATP Masters Series title.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7zjCJ7waEI[/embed]
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- Vacherot is Mongasque, rather than Swiss. The tournament was Swiss :DTrwd7702-11-2026
- After a couple decades traveling to IIHF tourneys overseas... our family is done with it... and I will not be the only one!! Bad enough the NHL allows Ovachenko (a Putin Supporter and Campaigner) to live and play in the USA. Let's not forget the STATE SPONSORED RUSSIAN DOPING PROGRAMS still in effect today.
mandoist31-10-2026 - Osaka's mental state apparently does not allow her to reach any more Quarter Finals? I mean, she doesn't really have the time for tennis with all the pre-planning that must go into her 12 year-old "fashion" goals.
mandoist29-10-2026 - With her money one would think she could afford a better team of Psychiatrists?
mandoist29-10-2026 - Boss move, Sinner !Rapunzel27-10-2026
- Apparently still refusing to seek 'help' ...and still playing Dress-Up like a 10 year-old.
mandoist27-10-2026 - Lena... Takin' care of business
mandoist25-10-2026 - Can you please stop publishing this nonsense? Stick to Tennis.
mandoist25-10-2026 - Does Sinner need that 4.5 mil? I doubt it. He can make that with three modelling gigs!😅🤣Rapunzel21-10-2026
- Did "People Magazine" purchase this website? This nonstop storyline is bullshit.
mandoist21-10-2026







