There’s only been a handful of players that have pulled off the Nadal-Federer double, that is, to beat both at the same tournament.  They include David Nalbandian, Nikolay Davydenko, Juan Martin del Potro, and Novak Djokovic.  The two play such disparate styles that beating both is a task.

And yet, the most shocking person that could have pulled it off nearly did it.  Ernests Gulbis beat Roger Federer in the 2nd round and gave Rafael Nadal all he could handle.  Gulbis lost his serve early in the first set, and both held until Nadal closed it out in the first.  In the second, Gulbis was able to break early and use his big serve to win the second set, 6-3, with some chances to break again.

Gulbis then had some challenges in the third set, saving 0-40 in one game, break points in the next, but when he went down 0-40 at 4-5, Nadal was too much.  Gulbis had a 15-30 game but played an ill-advised drop shots.  Indeed, he had a few such occasions in the third set that he played drop shots but that maybe he should have shunned.  Nadal had seemingly gone on defense and was getting nervous in the second set, but then recalled that he should play more aggressive.

In the other semi, Verdasco looked like he was going to roll over David Ferrer due to numerous errors from Ferrer, but Ferrer righted the ship midway through the first set and kept getting ball after ball back and leaving Verdasco frustrated.  In a set that looked like Verdasco would win easily, Ferrer won 7-5.  He was able to win the second set, 6-3, and reach the finals of Rome.

So, it’s another all-Spanish final in a Masters 1000 clay event with Rafael Nadal playing David Ferrer.  Ferrer seems to have few weapons to bother Nadal.  Gulbis, at least, had his huge serve and huge groundies.  Ferrer has to hope that Nadal is not feeling comfortable and misses some, but it seems unlikely.

In the meanwhile, Gulbis just reached his first Masters 1000 semi.  To put that in perspective, when Verdasco reached the semis of Monte Carlo, that was his first Masters 1000 semi.  Verdasco is 26 while Gulbis is 21.

Should Nadal win Rome, he would tie Andre Agassi for most Masters titles at 17.  He is currently tied with Roger Federer at 16 Masters titles.  Sampras is fourth with 11.