Djokovic Looks to Take Win Streak to 37 Matches, Meets Nadal in Rome Final

Novak Djokovic will attempt to extend his unbeaten tennis-season start to 37 matches today after yesterday earning a third-set tiebreaker win over Andy Murray in the semifinals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome.

Djokovic, the second seed, beat No. 4 Murray of Britain 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2). The Serb will now take on top-ranked Rafael Nadal of Spain, who defeated Richard Gasquet of France 7-5, 6-1, in the final.

Djokovic, 23, has won six straight tournaments to open the 2011 season, and his streak is second only to John McEnroe, who started 42-0 in 1984. During the stretch, the Serb has beaten Nadal three times, including the Spaniard’s first clay-court loss in almost two years last week in Madrid.

The record for consecutive victories is 46, set by Guillermo Vilas of Argentina in 1977.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mason Levinson in New York at mlevinson@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Bob Bensch at bbensch@bloomberg.net