Federer, Djokovic to meet in semifinals at Rome Masters; Nadal also advances

Federer, Djokovic to meet in semis at Rome Masters

ROME — Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic posted straight-set wins Friday to set up a semifinal meeting in the Rome Masters, and three-time champion Rafael Nadal advanced in the other half of the draw.

Nadal beat eighth-seeded Fernando Verdasco, 6-3, 6-3, improving to 8-0 against his fellow Spaniard, and will next play the winner of a late match between No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez and Argentine qualifier Juan Monaco.

Federer overcame a first-set challenge from net-charging German qualifier Mischa Zverev, advancing 7-6 (3), 6-2. Djokovic stayed on course to defend his title in this clay-court warmup for the French Open with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro.

The fast clay at the Foro Italico suits both Federer and Djokovic.

“I think both of us like it, so it’s going to be interesting,” Djokovic said. “I feel quite confident playing here. Each match I play, I feel more comfortable moving on the court and just playing my style of the game.”

Federer has won seven of his 10 previous matches against Djokovic, but the Serb took the last meeting in Florida last month.

“I hope I can play better than in Miami,” Federer said.

Nadal had not met Verdasco since his epic five-set win in the Australian Open semifinals.

Verdasco played with a bandage around his leg below his left knee and he called for the trainer after losing his serve to fall behind 5-3 in the second set. He attempted a serve-and-volley on break point but his weak volley attempt went wide.

“I (was) a little bit lucky, he had important mistakes in some important points,” Nadal said.

The world’s No. 1 player extended his clay-court winning streak to 28 matches — stretching back to an opening-round loss to Juan Carlos Ferrero here last year. Having won clay-court titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona the past two weeks, Nadal is attempting to become the first player in the Open era to win this tournament four times.

Nadal won titles at the Foro Italico from 2005-07. Thomas Muster also won three Rome titles, in 1990, ‘95 and ‘96.

The 76th-ranked Zverev didn’t allow Federer to see a break point until the 10th game of the first set, saving two set points to get to 5-5.

But Federer found his range in the tiebreaker, passing Zverev several times, and the 13-time Grand Slam winner ran away with the match in the second set.

“I had to come up with some passing shots, and I think it’s always kind of good that you’re on the back foot and you have to come up with some good shots at the right time,” Federer said.

A two-time runner-up in Rome, Federer is seeking his first title of the year.

Playing in sunny conditions with no wind, the third-seeded Djokovic dictated play with well-angled winners from the baseline. Del Potro had trouble with his forehand, hitting the advertising banners lining the back of the court in one instance.

“I tried to change the pace a lot,” Djokovic said. “Because I know that Del Potro likes more or less same pace, and he’s moving really well for his height.”

Djokovic needs to defend his title to prevent Andy Murray from taking the No. 3 ranking from him, even though Murray was eliminated by Monaco on Wednesday.

Djokovic is the only player to take a set from Nadal on clay this year, during a loss to the Spaniard in the Monte Carlo Masters final two weeks ago.