Will Someone Besides Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal Win the 2016 Rome Masters?

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are the definition of “dynasty” as they prepare to take on the best of the ATP at the 2016 Rome Masters. The past 11 years has witnessed clay-king Nadal and his seven Italian Open titles set the standard for current world No. 1 Djokovic and his four titles.

It was a different world in 2004, the last time someone other than Nadal or Djokovic won in Rome. Facebook had been launched in February, Twitter did not exist and online sports streaming and media existed mostly as clunky digital newspapers.

The Rome winner that year was Mallorcan Carlos Moya, the 1998 French Open champion, who was winding down his career. Few people realized that his Mallorcan counterpart Nadal was just beginning to make ripples after an unnoticed win over Roger Federer in Miami weeks before. Unfortunately the 17-year-old Spaniard was sitting out Rome and the French Open with a stress fracture in his left ankle.

The rest is history, which continues to live and breathe with the indomitable Djokovic and resilient Nadal.

Who’s going to beat them?

Best Bets to Dethrone the Kings

Start the list with Andy Murray. The Scot has continued to dig in on clay, and he defeated Nadal in straight sets this past weekend at Madrid. He fell to Djokovic in three tough sets in the final, so if there is any slippage from the dynastic duo, Murray is ready and hungry.

Additionally, Murray is in the softer bottom of the draw and will not have to face players like Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem, Nick Kyrgios or Milos Raonic. Murray would only face Nadal or Djokovic in the final and not have to play them on back-to-back days …

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