Three down, two to go. If anyone deserves a few days with his feet up, it is Rafael Nadal. Anna Maria, his mother, can have the three weeks of dirty washing, with its layers of caked-on dirt, as her son has bludgeoned his way through 14 matches, collected clay titles Nos 23, 24 and 25 and now pauses for a few days to prepare for three more weeks when he could further redefine the credos by which the sport used to be judged.

From this weekend, Nadal plays in Madrid, a tournament switched from autumn to spring, from hard court to clay, into the Caja Magica, the magic box. Not a bad place to welcome the man with all the tricks in the book — and a few more he has patented. Then it is on to Paris, for his attempt to add a fifth consecutive French Open title to his compendium. Is there anyone out there who seriously doubts he will do it, for is there a player on this planet who can win three sets against him in one match on clay?

Because of the lousy weather earlier in the week here, Nadal had to win five matches in five days to become the Rome Master for a fourth time — an historic moment. Björn Borg, Jaroslav Drobny, Martin Mulligan and Thomas Muster each won this title three times when it was the plain Italian Open; he has outdone these great champions and is not 23 until next month.

Novak Djokovic tried everything he knew in defence of his title and played some shots of rare audacity, but in the end, he was worn down, as everyone is. The result was 7-6, 6-2 in Nadal’s favour, though it was only when the spirit drained from the Serb from deuce at 2-2 in the second set, that even someone as imperious on this surface as the world No 1 could be relatively certain that this would another of his days.

The defeat means that Andy Murray will bypass Djokovic to take the Serb’s place as No 3 when the world rankings are announced next week.

It was not a final of the greatest quality. Both these titans looked a mite jaded at the end and no wonder, for they do not spare themselves. The throttle is out from the start, the contrasting flatter trajectory of Djokovic against the spitting spin of Nadal, inclination to attack versus outrageous defence, brio against brio and sometimes, dramatic introductions of subtlety and grace. What hurt Djokovic most was that, after forfeiting his first service game from 30-0 and 40-30, he was ahead only once, after the first point of the first-set tie-break. He was never able to breathe easily. Even when he broke back to 5-5, when Nadal was distracted by the chanting of a group of Roma fans passing from the adjacent Stadio Olimpico, Djokovic promptly dropped serve, to which he responded by decapitating his racket.

It is hard to keep a clear head against Nadal, for he forces the opponent to come up with shots they might not usually try. The drop shot is a risky strategy and when it comes off a couple of times, the tendency is to overplay it, which is how Djokovic came unstuck.

And he enjoyed his moments of triumph so much, raising his arms to the sky in one mock salute when he played a quite astonishing backhand half-volley when Nadal had blasted the ball straight at him, that it took him the next few rallies to get his head clear, by which time the Spaniard was racing away. His roar at the end was lost in the cries of his name. Since 2005, he has won 147 of his 151 matches on clay. A man rewriting history.

Murray's rise to top 3

July, 2003 Andy Murray’s first ranking was No 774. He ended the year ranked No 539. Won US Open Junior Championship in September 2004 at No 479. Ended the year ranked No 449

2005 Climbed to No 65 as he won first ATP Tour match at Queen's Club in June. Won two challenger titles in the United States in the summer and reached second round of US Open.

2006 Won his first ATP Tour title in San Jose in February, ranked No 42. Reached Wimbledon and US Open fourth rounds to become No 16 in September. Ended year on the same mark.

2007 Reached the top ten in April after semi- finals in Indian Wells and Miami Masters. In June, reached No 8 but had three months out with wrist injury and ended the year at No 11.

2008 Won five ATP titles, his first Masters title in Cincinnati when ranked No 6, reaching a career-high No 4 after reaching the final of the US Open. Won Masters Series event in Madrid and reached Masters Cup Final in Shanghai. Has been No 4 ever since

2009 Reached Australian Open fourth round, won titles in Doha, Rotterdam and the Masters in Miami. Reached semi-finals in Monte Carlo in April.