THROWBACK VIDEO: Nadal defeats Coria to win second ATP Masters 1000 title at the 2005 Rome Masters

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]