Spain’s Rafael Nadal is set to confirm his invincibility on clay this week when he takes to the court at the Rome Masters. If Nadal pulls off his third win on clay in as many weeks, he will complete an historic second successive clean sweep of pre-French Open clay court titles.

Nadal claimed his third title on clay this year at the Barcelona Open on Sunday, putting away compatriot David Ferrer 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. The score flattered Ferrer who never looked remotely capable of upsetting his opponent.

A fourth consecutive win at the 2008 Rome Masters will be a genuinely impressive feat for the young Spaniard, who spent most of his time off-court last week complaining about the packed clay court scheduled forced on players by the ATP Tour.

To claim his 4th consecutive title Nadal will have to navigate a field comprising 9 of the top 10 players in the ATP Tour rankings. Novak Djokovic is recovering from illness and may withdraw from the 2008 Rome Masters if not fit by Wednesday.

The Rome Masters will also feature the talents of the United States’ top clay players as James Blake, Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish join up with the European clay court circuit for the first time this season.