Nadal cruises to Italian Open semifinals
ROME • Rafael Nadal put away Fernando Verdasco 6- 4, 6- 0 at the Italian Open on Friday and ought to be a little nervous.
He’s conceded only six games in six sets at the Foro Italico but he’s reached the semifinals.
Nadal has fallen in the semifinals of his last three tournaments — all on his favoured clay. And next up is Stefanos Tsitsipas, to whom Nadal lost in Madrid last week.
“I know what happened last week, and I (am) going to try to do it better tomorrow,” Nadal said. “I have to hold the level or increase a little bit more. If that happens, I (am) going to have my chances. The good thing is during the last month my feeling is every week was better than the previous one.”
Tsitsipas, 20, is up to No. 7 in the rankings.
“Every year, we make ( a) prediction with the team which player is going to be at the top 10 at the end of the season,” Nadal said. “I put Tsitsipas there. ... He started even better than what I ( expected). He deserves to be where he is now.”
Meanwhile, Roger Federer and top- ranked Naomi Osaka withdrew before their quarter- finals because of injuries. Federer reported a right leg injury ahead of his match against Tsitsipas, and Osaka said her right hand was hurting before she was to play Kiki Bertens.
Also reaching the last four was Diego Schwartzman, who beat Kei Nishikori for the first time in four tries, 6- 4, 6- 2, to reach his first Masters Series semifinal.
Schwar tzman, ranked 24 th, will face top- ranked Novak Djokovic, who beat Juan Martin del Potro 4- 6, 7- 6, 6-4 in the quarters.
On the women’s side, Karolina Pliskova rallied past former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2 and will face qualifier Maria Sakkari, who rallied past Kristina Mladenovic 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.
Bertens, who won the Madrid Open last week, will face Johanna Konta, who beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 3- 6, 6-1.
Although Osaka won both of her matches on Thursday in straight sets, Federer, 37, had to labour for more than 2½ hours to overcome Borna Coric in his second time on court. Federer said after beating Coric that he slid on a wet line and his leg “was hurting a little bit.”
“I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete today. I am not 100 per cent physically and, after consultation with my team, it was determined that I not play,” Federer said. “Rome has always been one of my favourite cities to visit and I hope to be back next year.”
Later, Federer wrote on Instagram: “The fan reaction and crowd energy during my matches yesterday remind exactly why I am still competing on the ATP Tour.”
It’s only the fourth time Federer has had a walkover loss, the ATP Tour said, adding the 20-time Grand Slam champion has never retired in 1,465 matches.
Osaka couldn’t say how serious her injury is or if it will affect her status for Roland Garros, which starts in nine days. She had yet to see a doctor, but when she held her hand up for reporters, it was clearly swollen.
“I woke up this morning and couldn’t really move my thumb,” Osaka said. “I tried to practice and grip my racket but I couldn’t, and I kept feeling this pain when I tried to move my hand in different directions.”
Osaka’s win on Thursday guaranteed she will remain No. 1 going into the French Open.