The 19-year-old Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic who won the Estoril Open on Sunday, said that beating Spain's Rafael Nadal would be nearly impossible.

Djokovic and Nadal will probably face each other again during the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters, a tournament which begins on Monday.

"Beating him on clay is nearly impossible, but he cannot be... unbeatable all his life. I beat him in Miami this year, but on clay court it is different," Djokovic said.

Nadal has gone 72 matches without a loss on clay. "Now there are two very important Masters Series and I have to recover as best I can. I know that I face a tough group starting in Rome on Monday, but every time I enter a tournament, I do so with the intention of winning," he said.

Sunday's finals match against France's Richard Gasquet was a roller coaster ride for Djokovic, who was born in Belgrade: he battled to win the first set 7-6, the sank without a trace in the 0-6 second set, before fighting back to win the last set 6-1.

"I was lucky in the first set, but I can't explain what happened to me in the second set. (At least) I saved energy for the third," he said. "I have had very difficult games this week, for instance against Garcia Lopez, and I have able to overcome them. That is why I am feeling very satisfied," he added.

Gasquet told media that his problem was that he lacked aggression. Djokovic, "handed me a great opportunity and I did not know how to take advantage. I don't know what happened to him in the second set, but he was not focused on the game. In the third he played very well, with a lot of aggression."

Gasquet added he had failed in his serve and in his aggression. "I have to improve those two, but I am calm. Last year, at this stage, I was completely underwater, now I feel much better and ready for Roland Garros."

Source: Xinhua