TENNIS Internazionali d’Italia – Novak Djokovic battled through David Ferrer in three hard-fought sets with 7-5 4-6 6-3 to reach the semifinal at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in the Foro Italico in Rome. Also Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic have reached the semifinals in the women’s competition. Diego Sampaolo
Interviews, results, order of play, draws of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome
The first set went on serve until the sixth game with Ferrer going down 0-40 on serve. He saved a break point but he dropped serve for 2-4 as he hit a forehand out. In the next game Ferrer took a 40-0 lead on Djokovic’s serve but the Serb rallied to win the next three games to build up a 5-2 lead.
Ferrer fought back holding serve in the next game for 3-5. Ferrer broke serve from 15-30 after Djokovic made three forehand errors and held serve in the tenth game to draw level to 5-5.
Djokovic rallied from 15-30 in the 11th game to hold serve for 6-5. Ferrer served to stay in the match.
Djokovic managed to break serve again to convert the second set point to close out the first set with 7-5 in the 12th game.
The second set went on serve until 3-3 when Ferrer turned around the match raising the game in the second set where he was able to break serve in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. He went up 15-40 with a service return winner and got the break with a down-the line backhand passing shot. Ferrer saved two break points and held for 5-3 before serving out the set with a service winner.
Djokovic won four consecutive points to break serve in the fourth game for 3-1 with a down-the line backhand winner but Ferrer broke back in the following game with a backhand service return. Ferrer held serve in the next game to draw level to 3-all. Djokovic got another break in the eighth game for 5-3 with a cross-court forehand winner and wrapped up a fantastic match on his second match point following a 38-shot rally (the longest of the match) after committing a double fault on his first match point
“It was the most physical match I have had on clay this year. I am playing with no pain. As long as it stays like this, I will be happy”, said Djokovic
Djokovic is bidding to win his third title in Rome after 2008 and 2011 and his 19th Master 1000 win. The Serb will face Canadian young player Milos Raonic in Saturday’s semifinal. They met only once last year in the Davis Cup on clay in 2013.
WTA Internazionali d’Italia: Ivanovic and Jankovic reach the semifinals
Two Serbian players Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic book their berths in the semifinals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Ivanovic, who broke her seven-match losing streak against Maria Sharapova in the third round, rallied from 2-4 against Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in the first set by reeling four games in a row to wrap up the first set
Suarez Navarro got a double break to storm to 3-0 in the second set en route to winning the second set 6-3. Ivanovic rallied from 3-4 down on serve reeling off three games in a row. The Serb saved a break point in the last game to wrap up the match with a 6-4 3-6 6-4 win after a hard-fought match.
Ivanovic hit 48 winners to 34 unforced errors to clinch her 30th win of the season. She could return to the top-10 if she wins the title in Rome
“It was a very hard match from the beginning and I expected it because she is a very good player on clay”, said Ivanovic.
Ivanovic will face Serena Williams in a blockbuster semifinal. Williams leads 4-1 in their head-to-head matches, although the Serb won their last clash in the fourth round of this year’s Australian Open.
Williams beat Chinese player Zhang Shuai 6-1 6-3 in one hour and nine minutes after dominating the first set in which she won the first five games of the match
In the other semifinal Sara Errani who edged World Number 2 Li Na in three sets, will face Jelena Jankovic The Serb recovered from a 2-4 deficit in the second set against Pole Agniezska Radwanska by reeling off four consecutive games to clinch the win with 6-4 6-4. Jankovic won her first match against Radwanska since their first match at the 2008 Roland Garros.
Errani and Jankovic tie 1-1 i their two head-to-head matches.
“Errani will have the crowd on her side but I have already experienced that this week against Pennetta, so I know what to expect”, said Jankovic
