ROME, (Reuters) – Top seed Rafael Nadal overcame fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-3 6-3 at the Rome Masters yesterday while Roger Federer beat German qualifier Mischa Zverev 7-6 6-2 to book a semi-final with holder Novak Djokovic.
Serbian Djokovic eased into the last four with a 6-3 6-4 win over Argentine fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro.
Sixth seed Verdasco, who pushed Nadal hard in a five-setter at this year’s Australian Open, was on level terms after an exchange of breaks in the first two games.
The world number one over-hit a number of shots but could not be budged off his serve again, pulling off a couple of sublime lobs as he found his rhythm to take the first set.
It was tight in the second set too until the eighth game, when Nadal broke again with the helped of Verdasco hitting an easy backhand volley at the net wide.
“Today I didn’t play my best,” Nadal, who saved five break points in the second set, told a news conference.
“I made some mistakes, especially in the second set. I was a little bit lucky (because) he made mistakes in some important points.”
Zverev, 21, gave Federer a good fight in the first set. He served superbly, attacked the net well and showed character to save two break-and-set points in the 10th game, which was interrupted for a few minutes, apparently because a spectator was taken ill.
He was unable to trouble the second seed on his serve, however, and the Swiss eventually took the set in a tiebreak with a splendid cross-court forehand pass.
Federer cruised home in the second set although Zverev had the satisfaction of saving two match points before going out.
“That was a good test,” Federer said. “I had to come up with some passing shots. It’s always good when you’re on the back foot and you have to come up with some good shots at the right time.”
Djokovic dug up some fine returns to take Del Potro’s big serve in the fourth game after an early trade of breaks and went on to seal the first set with an ace.
Del Potro had Djokovic under pressure on his serve at the start of the second set but, after failing to convert two break points in the fourth game, he dropped his head and his third-ranked opponent ruthlessly capitalised to get another breakthrough.
Del Potro saved three match points before firing into the net to let Djokovic through.
“Physically I think I’m stronger (than in winning here last year) and I’m combining this patience with the aggressiveness in certain moments,” Djokovic said.
“It’s really important on clay to be confident in yourself, that you can play a lot of long rallies, be patient and have big weapons to finish off the points. That’s what I did.”
Nadal will take on the winner of the match between Chilean Fernando Gonzalez, the 12th seed, and Argentine qualifier Juan Monaco.
