# 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.

## 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.
* Roger Federer (final)
* Rafael Nadal (champion)
* Ivan Ljubičić (first round)
* David Nalbandian (semifinals)
* Andy Roddick (quarterfinals)
* Nikolay Davydenko (third round)
* James Blake (first round)
* Gastón Gaudio (first round)
* Guillermo Coria (first round)
* Fernando González (quarterfinals)
* David Ferrer (first round)
* Tommy Robredo (first round)
* Nicolas Kiefer (second round)
* Radek Štěpánek (third round)
* Thomas Johansson (second round)
* Robby Ginepri (second round)

## Draw
### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* Alt = Alternate
* SE = Special exempt
* PR = Protected ranking
* ITF = ITF entry
* JE = Junior exempt
* w/o = Walkover
* r = Retired
* d = Defaulted
* SR = Special ranking

### Finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Roger Federer | 6 | 3 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | |
| 4 | David Nalbandian | 3 | 6 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | | |
| 4 | David Nalbandian | 3 | 6 | 6$^5$ | 1 | Roger Federer | 7$^7$ | 6$^5$ | 4 | 6 | 6$^5$ |
| | | | | | 2 | Rafael Nadal | 6$^0$ | 7$^7$ | 6 | 2 | 7$^7$ |
| | Gaël Monfils | 2 | 2 | | 2 | Rafael Nadal | 6$^0$ | 7$^7$ | 6 | 2 | 7$^7$ |
| 2 | Rafael Nadal | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |

### Top half
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 1 | R Federer | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J I Chela | 2 | 1 | | 1 | R Federer | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | P Starace | 6 | 6 | | WC | P Starace | 3 | 6$^2$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Tursunov | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | R Federer | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | J Nieminen | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 14 | R Štěpánek | 1 | 4 | | | | | |
| | S Grosjean | 2 | 1 | | | J Nieminen | 4 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | F López | 4 | 4 | | 14 | R Štěpánek | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | R Štěpánek | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | R Federer | 6 | 6$^2$ | 7 |
| 11 | D Ferrer | 5 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | Q | N Almagro | 3 | 7$^7$ | 5 |
| | J Acasuso | 7 | 6 | | | J Acasuso | 4 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | N Almagro | 7 | 6 | | Q | N Almagro | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Massú | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | Q | N Almagro | 7$^8$ | | | | | | |
| | F Verdasco | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | 6 | N Davydenko | 6$^6$ | r | | | | | |
| WC | S Bolelli | 4 | 6 | 1 | | F Verdasco | 1 | 6 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Pašanski | 1 | 4 | | 6 | N Davydenko | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | N Davydenko | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | D Nalbandian | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | F Vicente | 2 | 6 | 3 | 4 | D Nalbandian | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | P-H Mathieu | 6 | 6 | | | P-H Mathieu | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J C Ferrero | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | 4 | D Nalbandian | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| Q | A Martín | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | Q | A Martín | 5 | 4 | | | | | |
| | D Sanguinetti | 2 | 4 | | Q | A Martín | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | D Bracciali | 6 | 2 | 4 | 13 | N Kiefer | 3 | 6$^3$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | N Kiefer | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | D Nalbandian | 6 | 6 |
| 9 | G Coria | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | M Ančić | 3 | 3 |
| Q | R Ramírez Hidalgo | 6 | 6 | | Q | R Ramírez Hidalgo | 0 | 7$^8$ | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Safin | 7 | 3 | 6 | | M Safin | 6 | 6$^6$ | 6$^3$ | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | T Gabashvili | 5 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | Q | R Ramírez Hidalgo | 3 | 7$^7$ | 5 | | | | |
| | M Ančić | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | M Ančić | 6 | 6$^4$ | 7 | | | | |
| | L Horna | 4 | 4 | | | M Ančić | 3 | 7$^{12}$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | F Serra | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | F Serra | 6 | 6$^{10}$ | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | J Blake | 4 | 6$^3$ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half
#### Section 3

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 5 | A Roddick | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | V Hănescu | 1 | 0 | | 5 | A Roddick | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | M Baghdatis | 7 | 6 | | | M Baghdatis | 6 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | O Rochus | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | 5 | A Roddick | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | |
| Q | S Galvani | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | G Rusedski | 6$^4$ | 2 | | | | |
| | J Novák | 3 | 4 | | Q | S Galvani | 6$^4$ | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | G Rusedski | 5 | 6 | 6 | | G Rusedski | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | T Robredo | 7 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | 5 | A Roddick | 2 | 3 |
| 16 | R Ginepri | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | G Monfils | 6 | 6 |
| | M Mirnyi | 6 | 2 | 3 | 16 | R Ginepri | 1 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | G Monfils | 6 | 3 | 6 | | G Monfils | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | T Haas | 2 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | G Monfils | 7$^9$ | 6 | | | | |
| Q | J Mónaco | 6 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | F Santoro | 6$^7$ | 2 | | | | |
| | F Santoro | 4 | 6 | 6 | | F Santoro | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Hrbatý | 5 | 7$^7$ | 6 | | D Hrbatý | 6$^2$ | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | I Ljubičić | 7 | 6$^4$ | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 8 | G Gaudio | 6 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | X Malisse | 4 | 6 | 6 | | X Malisse | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Srichaphan | 1 | 3 | | | T Berdych | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | T Berdych | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | T Berdych | 2 | 4 | | | | |
| | M Youzhny | 6 | 7$^9$ | | | | | | | 10 | F González | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | A Seppi | 2 | 6$^7$ | | | M Youzhny | 4 | 7 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | S Wawrinka | 4 | 4 | | 10 | F González | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | F González | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | F González | 4 | 3 |
| 15 | T Johansson | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | R Nadal | 6 | 6 |
| Q | F Fognini | 6$^3$ | 3 | | 15 | T Johansson | 6$^8$ | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | T Henman | 7 | 7$^7$ | | | T Henman | 7$^{10}$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | A di Mauro | 5 | 6$^2$ | | | | | | | | T Henman | 2 | 2 | | | | |
| | A Murray | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | 2 | R Nadal | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | F Volandri | 6 | 6 | | | F Volandri | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Moyà | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | R Nadal | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | R Nadal | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Qualifying
### Seeds

* Nicolás Almagro (qualified)
* Alberto Martín (qualified)
* Novak Djokovic (qualifying competition)
* Jonas Björkman (first round)
* Wesley Moodie (first round)
* Vincent Spadea (first round)
* Fernando Vicente (qualified)
* Flávio Saretta (qualifying competition)
* Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo (qualified)
* Răzvan Sabău (first round)
* Dick Norman (qualifying competition)
* Igor Kunitsyn (qualifying competition)
* Juan Mónaco (qualified)
* Oliver Marach (qualifying competition)
* Guillermo García-López (first round)
* Juan Antonio Marín (qualifying competition)

### Qualifiers

* Nicolás Almagro
* Alberto Martín
* Fabio Fognini
* Stefano Galvani
* Teymuraz Gabashvili
* Juan Mónaco
* Fernando Vicente
* Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo

### Qualifying draw
#### First qualifier

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

#### Second qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 2 | Alberto Martín | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| WC | Thomas Fabbiano | 1 | 2 | | | | |
| WC | Thomas Fabbiano | 1 | 2 | 2 | Alberto Martín | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | 12 | Igor Kunitsyn | 3 | 4 |
| | Gilles Elseneer | 3 | 4 | 12 | Igor Kunitsyn | 3 | 4 |
| 12 | Igor Kunitsyn | 6 | 6 | | | | |

#### Third qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 3 | Novak Djokovic | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Francesco Aldi | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Francesco Aldi | 2 | 3 | 3 | Novak Djokovic | 6$^4$ | 6 | 3 |
| | | | | WC | Fabio Fognini | 7$^7$ | 1 | 6 |
| WC | Fabio Fognini | 6 | 6 | WC | Fabio Fognini | 7$^7$ | 1 | 6 |
| 10 | Răzvan Sabău | 2 | 4 | | | | | |

#### Fourth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 4 | Jonas Björkman | 4 | 4 | | | | | |
| WC | Stefano Galvani | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| WC | Stefano Galvani | 6 | 6 | WC | Stefano Galvani | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| | | | | 16 | Juan Antonio Marín | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| | Evgeny Korolev | 1 | 4 | 16 | Juan Antonio Marín | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 16 | Juan Antonio Marín | 6 | 6 | | | | | |

#### Fifth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 5 | Wesley Moodie | 7 | 5 | 2 | | | | | |
| | Teymuraz Gabashvili | 5 | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Teymuraz Gabashvili | 5 | 7 | 6 | | Teymuraz Gabashvili | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| | | | | | 11 | Dick Norman | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| | Alejandro Falla | 1 | 2 | | 11 | Dick Norman | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 11 | Dick Norman | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |

#### Sixth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 6 | Vincent Spadea | 1 | 5 | | | | |
| | Giorgio Galimberti | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| | Giorgio Galimberti | 6 | 7 | | Giorgio Galimberti | 3 | 2 |
| | | | | 13 | Juan Mónaco | 6 | 6 |
| | Federico Luzzi | 2 | 2 | 13 | Juan Mónaco | 6 | 6 |
| 13 | Juan Mónaco | 6 | 6 | | | | |

#### Seventh qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 7 | Fernando Vicente | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Lars Burgsmüller | 4 | 1 | | | | |
| | Lars Burgsmüller | 4 | 1 | 7 | Fernando Vicente | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | 14 | Oliver Marach | 3 | 3 |
| | Antony Dupuis | 6$^6$ | 3 | 14 | Oliver Marach | 3 | 3 |
| 14 | Oliver Marach | 7$^8$ | 6 | | | | |

#### Eighth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 8 | Flávio Saretta | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Nicolás Lapentti | 4 | 2 | | | | | |
| | Nicolás Lapentti | 4 | 2 | 8 | Flávio Saretta | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| | | | | 9 | Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| WC | Gianluca Naso | 4 | 3 | 9 | Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| 9 | Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo | 6 | 6 | | | | | |