Italian Open results LIVE: Latest scores as Nadal looks to regain world No 1 spot

RAFAEL NADAL has blitzed the clay-court season since his return from injury, but fell short at the Madrid Open last week meaning he dropped behind Roger Federer in the world rankings - can he regain his spot in Rome?

By Stuart Ballard

PUBLISHED: 09:15, Mon, May 14, 2018 | UPDATED: 09:17, Mon, May 14, 2018

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will be gunning for victory in Rome GETTY

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will be gunning for victory in Rome

Nadal has dropped to second in the men’s rankings after failing to claim victory at the Madrid Open last week.

But the Spaniard can swiftly regain his top spot this week in the Italian Open.

He will have to contend with a field that consists of Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin del Potro, Marin Cilic and Alexander Zverev to name but a few.

Djokovic is still trying to find his best form since returning from injury and will be hoping to hit the ground running in time for the French Open next week.

For Nadal though, his defeat to Dominic Thiem last time out was a momentary blip on what has otherwise been a phenomenal career to date on clay.

The 31-year-old has won 55 titles in the surface and he will be looking to claim his first Italian Open since 2013.

Kyle Edmund has now moved into the world top 20 GETTY

Kyle Edmund has now moved into the world top 20

Italian Open men's results LIVE

First round

(GER) Peter Gojowczyk bt (USA) Sam Querrey 6-2 7-6

(USA) Jack Sock bt (ESP) David Ferrer 6-3 6-4

(USA) Ryan Harrison bt (JPN) Yuichi Sugita 7-6 6-3

(USA) Steve Johnson bt (SUI) Stan Wawrinka 6-4 6-4

(ITA) Lorenzo Sonego bt (FRA) Adrian Mannarino 2-6 7-6 6-3

(ESP) David Ferrer vs (BIH) Damir Dzumhur

(RUS) Daniil Medvedev vs (NED) Robin Haase

(CAN) Denis Shapovalov vs (CZA) Tomas Berdych

(ITA) Fabio Fognini vs (FRA) Gael Monfils

(JPN) Kei Nishikori vs (ESP) Feliciano Lopez

(RUS) Karen Khachanov vs (GER) Philipp Kohlschreiber

(SRB) Novak Djokovic vs (UKR) Alexandr Dolgopolov

(ESP) Albert Ramos-Vinolas vs (ARG) Federico Delbonis

(SLO) Aljaz Bedene vs (LUX) Gilles Muller

(USA) Jared Donaldson vs (ESP) Pablo Carreno Busta

(ARG) Diego Schwartzmann vs (CHI) Nicolas Jarry

(FRA) Benoit Paire vs (FRA) Richard Gasquet

(CRO) Borna Coric vs (GRE) Stefanos Tsitsipas

(URU) Pablo Cuevas vs (ITA) Marco Cecchinato

(ARG) Leonardo Mayer vs (BEL) David Goffin

(FRA) Lucas Rouille vs (ITA) Andreas Seppi

(GBR) Kyle Edmund vs (TUN) Malek Jaziri

(ITA) Matteo Berretti vs (USA) Frances Tiafoe

(GEO) Nikoloz Basilashvili vs (ITA) Filippo Baldi