Ferrero blisters to upset win to end the Roman Nadal era

Nadal, in the hunt for a forth straight Foro Italico trophy after earning a pair of "pokers" in Monte Carlo and Barcelona in recent weeks, brought a 17-0 record at the event into the contest.

 Nadal was treated trailing 4-1 in the second set for a blister on the ball of his right foot, a problem likely aggravated by two straight victory weeks on the clay.

 Former number one Ferrero found a way through the defences of his fellow Spaniard, taking the early lead in a 76-minute opening set, with Nadal's standard extraordinary level down a notch on the day.

 Nadal saved a set point in the tenth game but was felled by Ferrero's backhand volley winner to lose the set.

 In the second, the number 23 who owns four Masters titles grabbed the lead with a break of Nadal for 3-1 and carried on for the major upset.

 Nadal had won six of the pair's seven meetings, including two weeks ago in Monte Carlo in easy straight sets.

 "I learned from that match," said Ferrero. "Today I played a great match. Rafa was less aggressive today and I took advantage.

 "I feel good here, it's always tough to play Rafa as he comes to the court with great confidence.

 "We had a lot of long points in the first set and in the second he had some problems."  

   Nadal came into his opening match of the week standing 103-1 on clay, dating to Monte Carlo, 2005.

 In that period, the three-time French Open champion had lifted 17 of 18 clay court tournaments, his only loss coming against Roger Federer Hamburg final a year ago.

 Since that defeat, Nadal had won 22 straight matches on the dirt.

 Recovering third seed Novak Djokovic received the tonic only a win can bring as he bolted into the third round 6-4, 6-0 against Belgian Steve Darcis.

 The world number three stepped onto a court for the first time since controversially quitting his Monte Carlo semi-final against Federer almost a fortnight ago.

 The Serb claimed an infection had worn him down, but copped massive criticism for bailing out before the finish of the match.

 Australian Open winner Djokovic was only lightly tested in 72 minutes against the 46th-ranked Darcis, who claimed the Memphis title in February.

 "I'm satisfied with this match," said Djokovic, who debuted with a Rome quarter-final in 2007. "The first one is always tough and the courts are slow.

 "Winning in two sets is good. I've always played well in Italy. I want to be number one this season, and I think it's not impossible."

   Russian fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko advanced over Mario Ancic 6- 2, 6-2, but Czech Radek Stepanek sprang a surprise on Barcelona finalist David Ferrer, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, to stretch the Spaniard's Rome losing streak.

 The defeat was the third in a row at the Foro Italico for the fifth seed, who has not won at the venue since a 2005 semi-final.

 Spaniard Nicolas Almagro upset erratic seventh seed David Nalbandian, dispatching the Argentine 6-4, 7-5.

 Nalbandian seven match points over two games along the way out the door.

 American James Blake made clay progress as the eighth seed beat Italian Andreas Seppi 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-1. Last year's finalist, Chilean Fernando Gonzalez, stopped Russian Evgueni Korolev 6-3, 6-2.