2006 Italian Open – Men's singles

Defending champion Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer in the final, 6–7(0–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–4, 2–6, 7–6(7–5) to win the men's singles tennis title at the 2006 Italian Open.

Men's singles
2006 Italian Open
ChampionSpain Rafael Nadal
Runner-upSwitzerland Roger Federer
Score6–7(0–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–4, 2–6, 7–6(7–5)
Draw64 (8Q / 4WC)
Seeds16
Main article: 2006 Italian Open (tennis)

The final

Rafael Nadal recovered from the brink of defeat against Roger Federer to capture the Rome Masters and equal the record for consecutive wins on clay. Nadal came back from 1–4 down and saved two match points in the final set before triumphing 6–7(0–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–4, 2–6, 7–6(7–5).

The win, which took over five hours, took Nadal to 53 straight wins on clay, matching Guillermo Vilas' record. It also put the 19-year-old level with Björn Borg on 16 titles won as a teenager.

Federer, who had beaten Nadal only once in five attempts before the Rome Masters, started well, clinching a high-quality first set after playing a near-perfect tiebreak. And the world number one was on top for most of the second set but Nadal's trademark battling qualities kept him in it and out of the blue, he somehow earned a set point at 5–4. The teenager was unable to take that one but edged another tiebreak to draw level.

The momentum was by now with Nadal and he looked to have made a decisive move when a break at 2–2 gave him the third set. He had chances to break early in the fourth set but the Spaniard let his struggling opponent off the hook and Federer made him pay. The top seed raced through the fourth set and took control of the decider by taking a 4–1 lead. The Rome crowd, including Prince Albert of Monaco and Omar Sharif, looked on in disbelief as first Nadal levelled at 4–4 then fought off Federer again at 5–6. Nadal's double fault, the first of the match from either player, helped Federer earn two match points but the world number one's usually reliable forehand failed him on both occasions and the Spaniard survived.

Federer still had chances to win in the tiebreak which he led 5–3, in particular when he mishit a forehand which would have given him a 6–3 lead. However, Nadal underlined his talent on the dirt by clinching the tiebreaker and wrapping up his fifth win in six attempts over Federer.

Seeds

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.

  1. Switzerland Roger Federer (final)
  2. Spain Rafael Nadal (champion)
  3. Croatia Ivan Ljubičić (first round)
  4. Argentina David Nalbandian (semifinals)
  5. United States Andy Roddick (quarterfinals)
  6. Russia Nikolay Davydenko (third round)
  7. United States James Blake (first round)
  8. Argentina Gastón Gaudio (first round)
  9. Argentina Guillermo Coria (first round)
  10. Chile Fernando González (quarterfinals)
  11. Spain David Ferrer (first round)
  12. Spain Tommy Robredo (first round)
  13. Germany Nicolas Kiefer (second round)
  14. Czech Republic Radek Štěpánek (third round)
  15. Sweden Thomas Johansson (second round)
  16. United States Robby Ginepri (second round)

Draw

Key

Finals
Semifinals Final
            
1 Switzerland Roger Federer 6 3 77
4 Argentina David Nalbandian 3 6 65
1 Switzerland Roger Federer 77 65 4 6 65
2 Spain Rafael Nadal 60 77 6 2 77
  France Gaël Monfils 2 2  
2 Spain Rafael Nadal 6 6  

Section 1
First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
1 Switzerland R Federer 6 6  
  Argentina J I Chela 2 1   1 Switzerland R Federer 6 77  
WC Italy P Starace 6 6   WC Italy P Starace 3 62  
  Russia D Tursunov 4 1   1 Switzerland R Federer 6 6  
  Finland J Nieminen 6 6   14 Czech Republic R Štěpánek 1 4  
  France S Grosjean 2 1     Finland J Nieminen 4 65  
  Spain F López 4 4   14 Czech Republic R Štěpánek 6 77  
14 Czech Republic R Štěpánek 6 6   1 Switzerland R Federer 6 62 7
11 Spain D Ferrer 5 0   Q Spain N Almagro 3 77 5
  Argentina J Acasuso 7 6     Argentina J Acasuso 4 6 4
Q Spain N Almagro 7 6   Q Spain N Almagro 6 2 6
  Chile N Massú 5 4   Q Spain N Almagro 78    
  Spain F Verdasco 6 2 6 6 Russia N Davydenko 66 r  
WC Italy S Bolelli 4 6 1   Spain F Verdasco 1 6 0
  Serbia and Montenegro B Pašanski 1 4   6 Russia N Davydenko 6 3 6
6 Russia N Davydenko 6 6  

Section 2
First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
4 Argentina D Nalbandian 6 3 6
Q Spain F Vicente 2 6 3 4 Argentina D Nalbandian 6 6  
  France P-H Mathieu 6 6     France P-H Mathieu 2 4  
  Spain J C Ferrero 1 3   4 Argentina D Nalbandian 7 6  
Q Spain A Martín 6 6   Q Spain A Martín 5 4  
  Italy D Sanguinetti 2 4   Q Spain A Martín 6 77  
WC Italy D Bracciali 6 2 4 13 Germany N Kiefer 3 63  
13 Germany N Kiefer 4 6 6 4 Argentina D Nalbandian 6 6  
9 Argentina G Coria 3 2     Croatia M Ančić 3 3  
Q Spain R Ramírez Hidalgo 6 6   Q Spain R Ramírez Hidalgo 0 78 77
  Russia M Safin 7 3 6   Russia M Safin 6 66 63
Q Russia T Gabashvili 5 6 1 Q Spain R Ramírez Hidalgo 3 77 5
  Croatia M Ančić 6 6     Croatia M Ančić 6 64 7
  Peru L Horna 4 4     Croatia M Ančić 3 712 6
  France F Serra 6 77     France F Serra 6 610 0
7 United States J Blake 4 63  

Section 3
First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
5 United States A Roddick 6 6  
  Romania V Hănescu 1 0   5 United States A Roddick 3 6 6
  Cyprus M Baghdatis 7 6     Cyprus M Baghdatis 6 1 2
  Belgium O Rochus 5 4   5 United States A Roddick 77 6  
Q Italy S Galvani 6 6     United Kingdom G Rusedski 64 2  
  Czech Republic J Novák 3 4   Q Italy S Galvani 64 4  
  United Kingdom G Rusedski 5 6 6   United Kingdom G Rusedski 77 6  
12 Spain T Robredo 7 3 4 5 United States A Roddick 2 3  
16 United States R Ginepri 3 6 6   France G Monfils 6 6  
  Belarus M Mirnyi 6 2 3 16 United States R Ginepri 1 6 4
  France G Monfils 6 3 6   France G Monfils 6 4 6
  Germany T Haas 2 6 4   France G Monfils 79 6  
Q Argentina J Mónaco 6 2 3   France F Santoro 67 2  
  France F Santoro 4 6 6   France F Santoro 77 6  
  Slovakia D Hrbatý 5 77 6   Slovakia D Hrbatý 62 3  
3 Croatia I Ljubičić 7 64 4

Section 4
First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
8 Argentina G Gaudio 6 3 3
  Belgium X Malisse 4 6 6   Belgium X Malisse 2 1  
  Thailand P Srichaphan 1 3     Czech Republic T Berdych 6 6  
  Czech Republic T Berdych 6 6     Czech Republic T Berdych 2 4  
  Russia M Youzhny 6 79   10 Chile F González 6 6  
  Italy A Seppi 2 67     Russia M Youzhny 4 7 3
  Switzerland S Wawrinka 4 4   10 Chile F González 6 5 6
10 Chile F González 6 6   10 Chile F González 4 3  
15 Sweden T Johansson 77 6   2 Spain R Nadal 6 6  
Q Italy F Fognini 63 3   15 Sweden T Johansson 68 1  
  United Kingdom T Henman 7 77     United Kingdom T Henman 710 6  
WC Italy A di Mauro 5 62     United Kingdom T Henman 2 2  
  United Kingdom A Murray 4 4   2 Spain R Nadal 6 6  
  Italy F Volandri 6 6     Italy F Volandri 1 2  
  Spain C Moyà 1 6 2 2 Spain R Nadal 6 6  
2 Spain R Nadal 6 2 6

Qualifying

Seeds
  1. Spain Nicolás Almagro (qualified)
  2. Spain Alberto Martín (qualified)
  3. Serbia and Montenegro Novak Djokovic (qualifying competition)
  4. Sweden Jonas Björkman (first round)
  5. South Africa Wesley Moodie (first round)
  6. United States Vincent Spadea (first round)
  7. Spain Fernando Vicente (qualified)
  8. Brazil Flávio Saretta (qualifying competition)
  9. Spain Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo (qualified)
  10. Romania Răzvan Sabău (first round)
  11. Belgium Dick Norman (qualifying competition)
  12. Russia Igor Kunitsyn (qualifying competition)
  13. Argentina Juan Mónaco (qualified)
  14. Austria Oliver Marach (qualifying competition)
  15. Spain Guillermo García-López (first round)
  16. Costa Rica Juan Antonio Marín (qualifying competition)

Qualifiers
  1. Spain Nicolás Almagro
  2. Spain Alberto Martín
  3. Italy Fabio Fognini
  4. Italy Stefano Galvani
  5. Russia Teymuraz Gabashvili
  6. Argentina Juan Mónaco
  7. Spain Fernando Vicente
  8. Spain Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo

First qualifier
First round Qualifying competition
          
1 Spain Nicolás Almagro 6 6
  Italy Flavio Cipolla 2 3
1 Spain Nicolás Almagro 6 6
  Switzerland George Bastl 0 4
  Switzerland George Bastl 6 6
15 Spain Guillermo García-López 2 0

Second qualifier
First round Qualifying competition
          
2 Spain Alberto Martín 6 6
WC Italy Thomas Fabbiano 1 2
2 Spain Alberto Martín 6 6
12 Russia Igor Kunitsyn 3 4
  Belgium Gilles Elseneer 3 4
12 Russia Igor Kunitsyn 6 6

Third qualifier
First round Qualifying competition
          
3 Serbia and Montenegro Novak Djokovic 6 6
  Italy Francesco Aldi 2 3
3 Serbia and Montenegro Novak Djokovic 64 6 3
WC Italy Fabio Fognini 77 1 6
WC Italy Fabio Fognini 6 6
10 Romania Răzvan Sabău 2 4

Fourth qualifier
First round Qualifying competition
          
4 Sweden Jonas Björkman 4 4
WC Italy Stefano Galvani 6 6
WC Italy Stefano Galvani 6 1 6
16 Costa Rica Juan Antonio Marín 2 6 1
  Russia Evgeny Korolev 1 4
16 Costa Rica Juan Antonio Marín 6 6

Fifth qualifier
First round Qualifying competition
          
5 South Africa Wesley Moodie 7 5 2
  Russia Teymuraz Gabashvili 5 7 6
  Russia Teymuraz Gabashvili 6 4 6
11 Belgium Dick Norman 3 6 1
  Colombia Alejandro Falla 1 2
11 Belgium Dick Norman 6 6

Sixth qualifier
First round Qualifying competition
          
6 United States Vincent Spadea 1 5
  Italy Giorgio Galimberti 6 7
  Italy Giorgio Galimberti 3 2
13 Argentina Juan Mónaco 6 6
  Italy Federico Luzzi 2 2
13 Argentina Juan Mónaco 6 6

Seventh qualifier
First round Qualifying competition
          
7 Spain Fernando Vicente 6 6
  Germany Lars Burgsmüller 4 1
7 Spain Fernando Vicente 6 6
14 Austria Oliver Marach 3 3
  France Antony Dupuis 66 3
14 Austria Oliver Marach 78 6

Eighth qualifier
First round Qualifying competition
          
8 Brazil Flávio Saretta 6 6
  Ecuador Nicolás Lapentti 4 2
8 Brazil Flávio Saretta 4 6 3
9 Spain Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo 6 4 6
WC Italy Gianluca Naso 4 3
9 Spain Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo 6 6
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