Roger Federer praises "aggressive" Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer has conceded that he lost to the better man following his defeat to Rafael Nadal in the final of the Rome Masters.

The Swiss world number three was hammered 6-1 6-3 on Sunday as Nadal clinched his seventh title at the clay-court tournament.

"He played very aggressively from the start," said Federer. "He didn't make too many mistakes and had a good match overall.

"I tried to play offensively, but unfortunately I didn't have the best day. It didn't go the way I was hoping it to go."

Federer will now turn his attention to the French Open, which starts in Paris on May 26.