Nadal edges Davydenko to reach final

TOUGH BATTLE: Rafael Nadal was pushed every inch of the way by the Davydenko in a tense tussle that lasted three hours and 38 minutes.

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Keywords: Semifinal, Davydenko

Davydenko saluted Nadal for his never-say-die spirit.

"He's amazing - he chases every ball and physically he is great," said the world number four.

"In the first two sets I was playing in a more controlled way, but I tired in the final set and he kept coming back. He kept putting more and more top spin on his shots and moving me all around the court. I think the difference between us was physical. It's something I need to improve on as when I tire my concentration is not as good."

Gonzalez, runner-up in this year's Australian Open, insisted the pressure was all on Nadal for the final.

"I'm confident and I have nothing to lose and he's the man of the record," he said. "He's played in many finals and he's going to be a tough

guy to beat, but I have been playing really well."

Volandri, the first Italian to reach the Rome semi-finals since Adriano Panatta in 1978, had no complaints about his defeat which left the expectant home fans disappointed.

"Fernando played perfectly and gave very little away," said the 25-year-old ranked 53rd in the world.

"It's a shame that I didn't get to the final, but I've had a great tournament. It's an experience I will never forget."

The claycourt Rome Masters is a warm-up for the French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year, which starts on May 27.