Start at the end.

Start with knowing exactly what happens at the pinnacle of our sport in a clay-court final, and it becomes much clearer what you need to focus on in practice to also reach these lofty heights.

In other words, let data from the match court make the practice court smarter.

Rafael Nadal defeated Alexander Zverev 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 in a riveting Internazionali BNL d’Italia final on Sunday. Zverev had a real chance at victory, up an early break in the third set, before rain threw a curveball into the match, allowing Nadal to reset and win the final five games.

It was a high-quality final, with several long, grueling rallies bringing the Italian crowd to their feet in appreciation of the effort and impressive shot-making of both players. There were 24 rallies that went at least double digits (10 shots), totaling 313 shots in the court by both players.

Was this where the match was won by Nadal? No. Not even close.

Our eyes remember the long, spectacular rallies, but quickly forget the short rallies – even dismissing them as not important to the final outcome.

Make no mistake about it, Nadal found his way to the finish line first by forging his advantage in the short rallies much more than the longer ones. It’s important to note that rally length is defined by the ball landing in the court.

On clay in Rome, with Nadal and Zverev competing for two hours and nine minutes, the most common rally length in the final was just one shot. A one-shot rally, which was either an ace, service winner, or missed return, occurred 23 times. The next closest were three- and four-shot rallies, which happened 15 times each.

Nobody in the packed house at the raucous Foro Italico would guess that one shot in the court happened more than anything else. Those points are quickly forgotten. In fact, a zero- and one-shot rally happened more than all 10+ shot rallies combined (25 points to 24 points).

Read & Watch: Rafa Reigns In Rome

There were 791 shots hit in the court in the final, with 60 per cent (478) occurring in single-digit rallies, and 40 per cent (313) hit in double-digit rallies of 10 shots or more. It’s completely counter-intuitive, but there were more shots hit in shorter rallies than longer ones.

The average rally length for the final was 5.8 shots, meaning each player put right around three shots in the court. It’s not as many as our imagination would guess.

We also learn from the following table that the “halo effect” of the serve lasts for just one shot after the serve on clay before an even baseline duel unfolds. That explains why a rally length of three shots in the court happens more than two. The power of the serve makes the ensuing Serve +1 groundstroke (third shot) a very dominant force in the rally.

2018 Rome Final: Rally Length Totals

The following breakdown identifies how Nadal was far more dominant in the shorter rallies than the longer ones.

Rallies of single digits (0-9 shots)
Nadal won 62

Zverev won 51

Nadal was +9

Rallies of double digits (10+)
Nadal won 13

Zverev won 11

Nadal was +2

A common view in our sport is that Nadal becomes more dominant the longer the rally goes, but that definitely did not play out in the Rome final. Indeed, what we find in our sport is that the longer the rally goes, the more even it naturally becomes.

The Rome final can be a roadmap for the practice court for players at all levels of our game. First-strike tennis, consisting of shorter points, happens way more in a match than we realise. Consistency, shot tolerance and grinding get more respect than they deserve. It’s time for the serve, return and Serve +1 strategies to carve out more time in practice.

Just one shot in the court rules our sport much more than we ever thought.

It’s only the fifth month of the 2018 ATP World Tour season, but already No. 1 in the ATP Rankings has changed hands four times.

Rafael Nadal started the season at the top spot. Roger Federer took over on 19 February, then Nadal again on 2 April, only for Federer, once more, to take back control on 14 May. Nadal wrestled back No. 1 on Monday.

The four changes at No. 1 this season are the most since 2003, when there were five. The all-time record for most changes is 10, which happened in 1983.

No. 1 Rafael Nadal, +1
Nadal is back at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings. It’s a familiar spot for the Spaniard, who’s beginning his 174^th week at the top spot.

The 31-year-old won his eighth Internazionali BNL d’Italia title on Sunday, beating Alexander Zverev for the fifth time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series (5-0). Nadal was dominant in nearly every area during the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, but especially when returning. The Spaniard won 45 per cent of his return games (22/49), including five of 11 against Zverev.

No. 4 Marin Cilic, +1
Before Rome, the Croatian was 0-5 in Masters 1000 quarter-finals on clay. Make that 1-5. Cilic snapped his losing streak in the Rome quarter-finals against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta before falling to eventual finalist Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.

The 29-year-old Cilic is now one spot away from matching his career-high ATP Ranking of No. 3, which he held as recently as 22 April.

No. 12 Diego Schwartzman, +3
In a sport increasingly played by men taller than 6’3”, the 5’7” Schwartzman should serve as an inspiration to anyone looking to pick up a racquet. The Argentine is at a career-high ATP Ranking of No. 12 after making the second round in Rome (l. to Paire).

Schwartzman has been on an upward trend all season. He started 2018 at No. 26.

Read More: Five Things We Learned In Rome

No. 17 Kyle Edmund, +2
The top Brit is another player who just seems to continue climbing the ATP Rankings. Edmund set a new career-high ATP Ranking by making the third round in Rome (l. to Zverev).

Two weeks ago, at the Mutua Madrid Open, the Brit reached his maiden Masters 1000 quarter-final (l. to Shapovalov). The 23-year-old Edmund is now 17-9 on the year. He finished 2017 an even 30-30.

View The ATP Rankings

No. 19 Fabio Fognini, +2
The home crowd was loving it. Fabio Fognini, Italy’s No. 1, was up a set against seven-time champion Rafael Nadal in the Rome quarter-finals. Fognini’s lead didn’t last – Nadal advanced 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 – but the 30-year-old Fognini delivered his best Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

The Sanremo native had never reached the quarter-finals in Rome, but beat Gael Monfils, No. 8 Dominic Thiem and Peter Gojowczyk of Germany to earn the quarter-final matchup against Nadal.

That did not take long. One week after relinquishing the top spot in the ATP Rankings, Rafael Nadal will make his return to No. 1.

Nadal is set to embark on his 174th week at the pinnacle of men’s tennis after ousting Alexander Zverev 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, in a pulsating final at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Sunday. He capped another dominant week on the dirt, capturing his third ATP World Tour title in less than a month.

After five years, the Spaniard is back in the winners’ circle in Rome. He notched an unprecedented eighth crown at the iconic Foro Italico, adding to victories in 2005-07, 2009-10 and 2012-13. Nadal was at his ruthless best once again and following a quarter-final defeat to Dominic Thiem last week in Madrid, he was even more determined to lift another trophy.

Nadal also added a slice of history with his victory in the Eternal City. The 31-year-old now stands alone in fourth place on the Open Era titles list, adding a 78th piece of silverware to pass John McEnroe. Only Jimmy Connors (109), Roger Federer (97) and Ivan Lendl (94) remain ahead of him.

Open Era Title Leaders

Zverev sprinted out of the gates on an overcast late afternoon in the Italian capital, snatching an immediate break in the first game. The German looked to continue to play aggressive, first-strike tennis, which is exactly what saw him win 13 straight matches and reach consecutive ATP World Tour Masters 1000 finals.

The Foro Italico is Nadal’s playground and he would strike back with considerable aplomb. The Spaniard broke right back to love with a sublime drop shot, and he would secure another break with a cross-court forehand winner two games later. Zverev had no answer for Nadal’s penetrating groundstrokes and devastating return game.

But Zverev would respond in kind to open the second set, suddenly raising his level and out of nowhere the 21-year-old reeled off five straight games. If you turned away for a minute, you missed it. Matching Nadal’s pace and depth off the ground, the World No. 3 fired back to force a decider. It ended Nadal’s streak of 17 consecutive sets won in clay-court finals.

And as Zverev carried the momentum into the third set with another break, the drama built to a crescendo as the skies closed and rain began to fall on Centrale. A pair of delays suspended play for a combined 55 minutes, with Zverev leading 3-2. But the rain would dampen the German’s momentum, and Nadal snatched the initiative upon resumption. Zverev would not win another game. The World No. 1 drew level and grabbed another break for 5-3, before closing out his eighth Rome title with a brilliant drop volley winner.

Nadal secured the title after two hours and nine minutes, firing 19 total winners, including nine off his backhand wing. Zverev, meanwhile, launched 21 winners, but made 28 unforced errors. The Spaniard dominated the shorter rallies, claiming the majority under five shots by a count of 33-25.

Victory in Rome was well deserved for the now 32-time Masters 1000 champion. Earlier in the week, Nadal got his revenge over Denis Shapovalov after falling to the surging teen in Montreal last year, and he would overcome home favourite Fabio Fognini from a set down. On Saturday, longtime rival Novak Djokovic, who defeated Nadal in his two final losses in Rome, was ousted in straight sets by the Spaniard.

Despite the loss, Zverev will ascend to the top of the ATP Race To London standings on Monday. Following victories in Munich and Madrid, he saw his win streak snapped at 13 straight in his bid to retain the Rome title.

Tour-Level Match Wins Leaders In 2018

Zverev, who owns a tour-leading 30 match wins this year, will next turn his attention to Roland Garros, where he hopes to dethrone Nadal and stop the Spaniard from claiming an ‘Undécima’ at the clay-court Grand Slam. And with only 10 points to defend in Paris, his quest continues to become the first player outside the Big Four to crack the Top 2 of the ATP Rankings in 13 years.

Did You Know?
Nadal extended his FedEx ATP Head2Head record to a perfect 5-0 against Zverev, marking the second time he has prevailed this year. Last month he earned a straight-set win in Davis Cup action.

The fireworks will be flying on Sunday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, as the two hottest players on the ATP World Tour are set for a championship clash in Rome. 

Top seed and seven-time champion Rafael Nadal will square off against second seed and reigning titlist Alexander Zverev in a highly-anticipated showdown on the clay of the Foro Italico. It is only fitting that the gladiators renew their budding rivalry in Rome, with plenty on the line for both players.

One year after making his debut appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, Zverev is well on his way to return to The O2. The German is assured of securing the top spot in the ATP Race To London on Monday with his successful week in Rome. He has dominated the ATP World Tour in recent months, posting a 21-2 record on the circuit since mid-March, which has vaulted the 21-year-old to the Race lead as we enter Roland Garros.

Zverev still has plenty at stake against Nadal, however, as he also seeks to continue to close the gap on the Top 2 of the ATP Rankings. And with only 10 points to defend at the second Grand Slam of the year, a win on Sunday would be another important step in his quest to become the first player outside the Big Four to crack the Top 2 in 13 years.

View FedEx ATP Head2Head for the following match from the 2018 Internazionali BNL d’Italia & vote for who you think will win! 
Nadal vs Zverev 

“There’s not much you need to say about him,” Zverev, who now owns a tour-leading 30 match wins this year, said about Nadal. “I’m definitely not the favourite in this matchup, but I’ll be ready for it and I’ll do everything I can to recover. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”

ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Title Leaders

As if Nadal needs any additional motivation to secure an unprecedented 32nd Masters 1000 crown and eighth in the Eternal City, the Spaniard will be eyeing a return to World No. 1 in the ATP Rankings with a win on Sunday. After relinquishing the No. 1 mantle following a quarter-final defeat to Dominic Thiem at the Mutua Madrid Open, Nadal is poised to reclaim his throne for a 174th week.

“If I am back to No. 1, it’s great,” said Nadal on Saturday. “Better than to be No. 2, it’s true. My motivation is to win a title and I am playing for this tomorrow.”

Zverev enters Sunday’s showdown in the midst of a 13-match unbeaten run, having dropped just two sets in that span. But Nadal will take great confidence from a streak of his own. The Manacor native owns a perfect 4-0 mark in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, including a recent 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 victory in Davis Cup action last month. He also claimed wins in Indian Wells in 2016 and last year at both the Australian Open at Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

Both players will be battle tested as they enter Centrale once again, with Nadal overcoming Novak Djokovic on Saturday, in what was the 51st meeting between the two titans, and Zverev outlasting Marin Cilic under the lights. The top-seeded Spaniard is also coming off a comeback victory over Fabio Fognini in the quarter-finals, having stormed back from a set down to defeat the home favourite. 

And if Nadal is to add a 78th piece of silverware to his burgeoning trophy case, he will claim yet another slice of history. Victory over Zverev would see him climb past John McEnroe for solo fourth place on the Open Era titles list. Only Jimmy Connors (109), Roger Federer (97) and Ivan Lendl (94) remain ahead of the 31-year-old.

Tour-Level Match Wins Leaders In 2018

On the other side of the net, victory for Zverev would put the 21-year-old in an exclusive club as just the third player to complete the Madrid-Rome double. Only Nadal (2010 & ’13) and Djokovic (2011) have done so since the current Masters 1000 format was established in 2009. Zverev is also bidding to become the first player outside of the Big Four to successfully defend a Masters 1000 crown since Juan Carlos Ferrero achieved the feat in Monte-Carlo in 2002-03. 

Read More: Zverev Extends Streak, Reaches Rome Final

“We’ve had some very tough matches,” Zverev added, referring to his previous meetings with Nadal. “In Indian Wells, I lost with a match point and in Australia we went five sets. Obviously we had some great battles and I’ve always enjoyed playing him. He’s the greatest of all time on clay, but hopefully I can prepare the best I can for tomorrow.”