Rome, May 17 (IANS): Spanish tennis star David Ferrer defeated compatriot Feliciano Lopez 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the Rome Masters to become the 13th player in ATP World Tour history to reach the milestone 700 match wins.

Ferrer now joins fellow countryman Rafael Nadal (840) to reach the 700 win mark in a table led by American Jimmy Connors, who has triumphed 1,256 times, reports Efe news agency.

"The number indicates that I have been a very consistent player over many years and many matches," Ferrer said after Tuesday night's match in which he won after losing the first part against Feliciano Lopez.

The Valencian tennis player, aged 35, is unbeaten against Feliciano in matches played on clay.

"It's a very big figure, very difficult to achieve. I am very proud and humbled by the achievement. If someone had told me at the start of my career that I would be in this situation, I wouldn't have believed it," added Ferrer, who is going to meet Japanese world number nine Kei Nishikori in the round of 16 of the Rome Masters.