TENNIS – Roger Federer beat Tomas Berdych 6-3 6-3 in the quarter finals setting up a blockbuster all-Swiss semifinal against Stan Wawrinka who overcame seven-time Rome champion Rafa Nadal with 7-6 (9-7) 6-2. In the other quarter finals Novak Djokovic needed three sets to beat Kei Nishikori 6-3 3-6 6-1 and book his berth for the semifinal against David Ferrer who edged David Goffin with 6-2 4-6 6-3. Diego Sampaolo
Roger Federer went down a break in the opening set but won four consecutive games from 2-3 down to clinch the first set with 6-3. The Swiss Maestro got the decisive break in the seventh game of the second set and won the final two games to seal the win with a double 6-3 after one hour and 7 minutes. Federer hit 15 winners to 11 unforced errors. Federer now leads 14-6 in his head-to-head matches against Berdych.
Federer reached the final in 2003, 2006 and 2013 but he never won the Internazionali d’Italia.
“From the baseline I was playing very well. My serve was not quite there in the beginning. I had to go through too many second serves and he was able to take advantage of that and break early. For me it was important to pick it up on the serve, which is maybe the easiest thing to do. The wind picked up in the second set. That’s why I think Tomas didn’t play so well anymore and I was able to get the job done. I am very pleased how the match went”, said Federer.
“I love Rome. I would like to come here more often and know this city better. Two days ago I visited the Vatican City, the Cappella Sistina, Piazza Navona and Piazza di Spagna”
Federer’s next opponent Stan Wawrinka beat Rafa Nadal 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 in their first match since the 2014 Australian Open final where the Lausanne player clinched his first Grand Slam title. Wawrinka hit 25 winners and saved seven break points he faced.
The match started with an early trade of breaks. First Stan saved the first two break points in the opening game but he dropped it at the third opportunity. Nadal was broken back in the next game. Nadal broke serve to take the 4-3 lead in the seventh game but Wawrinka broke straight back to draw level with a forehand down the line. Nadal opened up a 6-2 lead in the tie-break. Wawrinka clawed his way back by fending off four set points and sealed the first set with 9-7 after 1 hour and 15 minutes. Wawrinka got the break to take a 2-1 lead at the start of the second set before fending off four break points as he was serving at 4-1. Then he held his serve for 5-1 before saving a break point while he was serving for the match at 5-2. “Stan the Man” earned his first match point with his forehand before clinching the win after two hours and five minutes.
Federer and Wawrinka will meet for the 17th time. Federer leads 15-2 over Wawrinka in their previous head-to-head matches
Novak Djokovic rallied from losing the second set to edge past Kei Nishikori with 6-3 3-6 6-1 setting up a semifinal against David Ferrer who beat David Goffin 6-2 4-6 6-3.
Djokovic leads 14-5 in his previous head-to-head matches against Ferrer and won their last 8 matches.
Djokovic got an early break. He faced two break points at 5-3 but he close out in the next game with 6-3.
Nishikori rallied to take a break in the sixth game before holding his serve for 5-2 to force the match to the third set.
In the decider Djokovic got a double break in the fourth and in the sixth games to wrap up the third set with 6-1 after 26 minutes
“I have to be honest. I have not been playing as well as I was in Monte-Carlo and I am still not at the level I want to be at. Wins against high quality opponents can only help my confidence”, said Djokovic
Ferrer built up a 4-2 lead. He faced the only trouble when he had to save two break points .with an ace to close out the first set Goffin bounced back breaking serve in the third game for 2-1 and pulled away to 5-2. Ferrer won the next two games for 4-5 after two smash errors but Goffin sealed the win on his third set point.
