China's French Open champion Li Na confessed that she is becoming fearful of her ability to close out wins after suffering another late niggle before advancing into the semi-finals of the Rome Masters.
The 30-year-old, whose 2011 Roland Garros title was a first Grand Slam singles crown for China, defeated Slovak Dominika Cibulkova 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) to book a showdown with Serena Williams. The American, the 2002 Rome winner, needed just 27 minutes on court when Italian Flavia Pennetta had to quit their quarter-final with a right wrist injury.
Li was leading Cibulkova comfortably 6-1, 5-2 when her game became crippled by caution with the Chinese star only managing to snatch the win in a tense tiebreaker.
"I'm not worried about the forehands or the backhands, it's finishing the matches that is my problem," said Li, the world number nine, who has not won a title since her Paris triumph almost a year ago. "There is not one player out there who gives up in a match, everyone is playing at such a high level. That's my problem - I need to win easier. It's a big problem for me to close out the matches."
Li said that despite the latest case of nerves, she was pleased with her victory and her week so far in the Italian capital.
"I've had three good wins but now I face Serena. She's a top player and a real fighter, it will be a big match. I'm happy with how I'm playing now, finally we got onto a true clay court (after blue courts in Madrid last week. I'm able to slide here. I feel ready for Roland Garros."
Nadal downs Berdych to reach last-four
Second-seed Rafael Nadal got the better of Tomas Berdych, grinding out a 6-4, 7-5 win to seal his place in the semi-finals of the event which he has won five times.
The king of clay will face off in the final-four against compatriot and sixth-seed David Ferrer, who beat French 15th-seed Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
Nadal and Ferrer went toe-to-toe less than three weeks ago, with Nadal winning the final to take his seventh trophy on home clay in Barcelona. Nadal showed he has regained his blistering form after a dissatisfying third-round loss a week ago on blue clay in Madrid, beating Madrid finalist Berdych for the 11th time in succession in a struggle lasting just over two hours.
He produced 34 winners and just ten unforced errors in a superlative display, while Berdych went for broke throughout, posting 28 winners and 24 unforced errors and losing serve three times.
The world number three has now won all but two of his 36 matches at the Foro Italico and has emerged victorious in all three clay meetings with a player he also beat in the 2010 Wimbledon final.
Meanwhile, Ferrer needed an hour and three-quarters before putting out Gasquet, who played the Estoril final on clay earlier this month. The gutsy Spaniard, who is still seeking his first title this season, is through to the quarter-finals in Rome for the first time.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2012.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ