Nadal, Murray reach Rome semi-final
World number one Wozniacki registers win over Jankovic.
ROME:
Rafael Nadal showed no signs of the fever that has been afflicting him this week as he strolled into the Rome Masters semi-finals with a 6-1, 6-3 demolition of Marin Cilic.
Having been totally off colour on Wednesday in a tortured three-set victory over Italian qualifier Paolo Lorenzi, Nadal proved he was back to his best against Cilic.
“I improved a lot,” said Nadal. “I played better. To win a tournament you have to play well every day. I’m in the semi-final now. I’ve played three finals in a row on clay, I won two and lost one and now I’m in the semis again and that’s a very positive thing for me.”
Nadal will face Andy Murray, who reached the semi-final after a bizarre 1-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory against Florian Mayer. Murray became the first British man since George Hughes in 1932 to get this far in Rome.
“This tournament has a lot of history, it’s always had great fields,” said Murray
Wozniacki sees off Jankovic
In the women’s event, world number one Caroline Wozniacki reached the semi-final of the Rome Masters after a three-set thriller that lasted almost two and a half hours.
The Dane survived a mid-match collapse to edge past twice former winner Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Although the world number one has won a string of titles, 15 in total, a grand slam has so far proved elusive. Wozniacki is preparing for the French Open which gets underway in a little over a week.
Federer stunned by Gasquet
Meanwhile, Roger Federer’s French Open problems piled up when he was dumped out of the Rome Masters by Richard Gasquet.
World number three Federer went down 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4) in the third round to Frenchman Gasquet, a worrying setback less just 10 days before the start of Roland Garros, the second Grand Slam of the season.
“That’s how it goes sometimes, I thought I was playing well and then in the third I wasn’t playing at all, it was a disappointing match for me,” admitted a disappointed Federer.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2011.
Rafael Nadal showed no signs of the fever that has been afflicting him this week as he strolled into the Rome Masters semi-finals with a 6-1, 6-3 demolition of Marin Cilic.
Having been totally off colour on Wednesday in a tortured three-set victory over Italian qualifier Paolo Lorenzi, Nadal proved he was back to his best against Cilic.
“I improved a lot,” said Nadal. “I played better. To win a tournament you have to play well every day. I’m in the semi-final now. I’ve played three finals in a row on clay, I won two and lost one and now I’m in the semis again and that’s a very positive thing for me.”
Nadal will face Andy Murray, who reached the semi-final after a bizarre 1-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory against Florian Mayer. Murray became the first British man since George Hughes in 1932 to get this far in Rome.
“This tournament has a lot of history, it’s always had great fields,” said Murray
Wozniacki sees off Jankovic
In the women’s event, world number one Caroline Wozniacki reached the semi-final of the Rome Masters after a three-set thriller that lasted almost two and a half hours.
The Dane survived a mid-match collapse to edge past twice former winner Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Although the world number one has won a string of titles, 15 in total, a grand slam has so far proved elusive. Wozniacki is preparing for the French Open which gets underway in a little over a week.
Federer stunned by Gasquet
Meanwhile, Roger Federer’s French Open problems piled up when he was dumped out of the Rome Masters by Richard Gasquet.
World number three Federer went down 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4) in the third round to Frenchman Gasquet, a worrying setback less just 10 days before the start of Roland Garros, the second Grand Slam of the season.
“That’s how it goes sometimes, I thought I was playing well and then in the third I wasn’t playing at all, it was a disappointing match for me,” admitted a disappointed Federer.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2011.