Nadal enters semis
Spaniard comes from behind to down Fognini
Rome, May 18: Rafael Nadal continued his clay domination on Friday, rallying from a set down to reach the Italian Open semi- finals with a 4- 6, 6- 1, 6- 2 victory over Fabio Fognini.
The world number two needs to lift an eighth career title at the Foro Italico on Sunday to return to the top of the ATP rankings after losing that position to Roger Federer last week.
Spaniard Nadal dropped the opening set in an hour but re- grouped effortlessly as he swept past the Italian in the one- sided second and third sets of their quarter- final tie.
“I’m not used to playing so early,” Nadal said of his midday start. “But I’m very happy to be in the semi- finals.
“This was a very important win for me today.”
Nadal also beat Fognini in Rome in 2013 in their first ever meeting.
This was his 11th victory in 14 meetings with the 21st- ranked Italian, and sixth in a row.
It was the first time in four years that Nadal managed to win his quarterfinal tie in Rome and next up he will face either fellow former world number one Novak Djokovic or Japan’s Kei Nishikori.
The 31- year- old top seed was joined as semi- finalist by women’s fourth seed Elina Svitolina, who recovered from a slow start to defeat former world number one Angelique Kerber of Germany 6- 4, 6- 4.
Earlier, Nadal brushed aside Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov with a 6- 4, 6- 1 victory while Novak Djokovic showed he is on the comeback trail by reaching his first quarter- final of 2018.
Nadal has already won his 11th titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona during the current clay- court season, but has lost in the quarterfinals in each of the last three years in Italy.
He was far too strong for Shapovalov, taking the opening set with a break in the seventh game before racing through the second to gain a measure of revenge for his shock defeat by the 19- year- old in Montreal last year.
“I think Rafa played incredible,” said Shapovalov. “He’s been playing at a really high level for this whole clay season. So, you know, it’s credit to him. He was just simply too good.”
After beating Shapovalov, top seed Nadal recorded his 20th clay- court win of the year while Shapovalov will at least have the consolation of becoming the Canadian number one on Monday.
Meanwhile, Fognini got past Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk 6- 4, 6- 4.
Djokovic moved into his first quarter- final since Wimbledon last July when he defeated Spain’s Albert Ramos- Vinolas 6- 1, 7- 5.
The four- time Rome champion is making his way back this year after a six- month injury absence before the Australian Open, which was followed by elbow surgery.
“It felt good,” said the 12time Grand Slam winner. “I’ve historically always played well in Rome, and I feel like each match is getting better.”
The 30- year- old set up a clash with Japan’s Kei Nishikori for a ticket to the semi- finals.
Germany’s Alexander Zverev, who beat Djokovic in last year’s final, kept his title defence on track but needed eight match points to see off Briton Kyle Edmund 7- 5, 7- 6 ( 13/ 11).
For Zverev it was an 11th consecutive win after back- to- back title runs at Munich and Madrid.
The 21- year- old will play Belgian David Goffin who advanced when Argentine fifth seed Juan Martin del Potro retired while trailing 6- 2, 4- 5 with a groin injury.
HALEP, MARIA
ADVANCE
In the women’s tournament, Simona Halep boosted her bid to retain the world number one ranking as the top seed advanced to the quarterfinals after American Madison Keys withdrew injured with a painful rib.
The Romanian, a finalist in Rome last year, is on her way to holding on to top spot as she next plays France’s Caroline Garcia who dumped out US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6- 1, 7- 6 ( 9/ 7).
Halep needed to reach at least the Last Eight and go further than world number two Caroline Wozniacki to retain the top ranking going into the French Open.
Dane Wozniacki was given a scare by Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova before closing out the match 6- 2, 5- 7, 6- 3.
She next plays Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit who defeated Venus Williams for the second time in a week.
Kontaveit, 22, won through 6- 2, 7- 6 ( 7/ 3) against the 37- year- old American who was seeded eighth in a tournament she won nearly two decades ago in 1999.
Three- time winner Maria Sharapova ousted Daria Gavrilova 6- 3, 6- 4 and will play French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko who saw off Britain’s Johanna Konta 2- 6, 6- 3, 6- 4.