ROME, May 9: Spain’s teenage hero Rafael Nadal struggled with blisters and fatigue to win the longest final ever played at the Rome Masters on Sunday, scoring an heroic 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (8/6) title victory over Guillermo Coria. The battle lasted for five hours, 14 minutes, beating the 1979 final won by Vitas Gerulaitis over Guillermo Vilas, which ran four hours, 53 minutes.

It was also the first time in tournament history that a tiebreak decided a fifth set in the final. Coria admitted he was devastated by his defeat.

The fifth seeded Nadal down at out - blisters on his left hitting hand hampering his grip on his lethal racket - as he trailed 2004 French Open finalist Coria by two breaks at 0-3 in the final set. But the fighting spirit that has propelled the teenager to three straight clay titles - Monte Carlo over Coria a month ago, followed by his home event in Barcelona - prevailed.

Nadal began his resurgence as his body language again showed confidence, with Coria starting to fade. The Spaniard, who ended the finely balanced contest with 67 winners and 91 unforced errors, came alive for 3-3, then slowly began to prevail again.

The match went into the tiebreaker as the five-hour mark was breached with Nadal grabbing a 5-1 lead. But the more experienced Coria wasn’t finished, pulling to within a point at 4-5.

Nadal earned two match points on an over-rule by Swedish chair umpire Lars Graff, but a wide return and only his third double-fault of the match, blew both away. The Spaniard came good on his third chance of the decider, rolling in joy in the red clay as Coria’s return sailed over the baseline.

Nadal, who would reasonably be expected to pull out from this week’s Hamburg Masters in order to rest for the start of Roland Garros, will Monday move to within ten points of Roger Federer in the ATP season race.

The talented Spaniard is level with the Swiss world number one on five titles this season - all of Nadal’s coming on clay with two in February.

His Rome debut marked his third appearance in a 2005 Masters final after losing Miami while leading Federer two sets and 4-1 and beating Coria a month ago in Monte Carlo.

Nadal won his 17th consecutive match, improving to 31-2 on clay in 2005 and 41-6 overall on the season. He becomes the third-youngest Rome champion after Bjorn Borg in 1974, Jimmy Arias in 1983.

Coria, who has lost both of his 2005 finals to Nadal, stands 22-9 on the season. Coria dropped the opening set, which began with a seven-minute game, a foreshadowing of what was to come as day turned to night at the Foro Italico.

He took the second with three breaks and with his football strip-clad Argentine supporters in full voice, Coria saved six set points in a marathon 28-point ninth game spanning ten dueces before Nadal lifted a 2-1 lead on sets from Coria’s forehand long over the baseline.

RESULTS: Rafael Nadal bt Guillermo Coria 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (8/6).—AFP