General Tennis News from the Tennis Frontier
Roger Federer (2) and Rafael Nadal (5) both won their semifinal matches today at the Italian Open, setting the stage for their first encounter in Rome since their legendary 2006 final.
The King of Clay Rafael Nadal beat the Czech Tomas Berdych (6), 6-2, 6-4.
Federer, the Swiss Master, beat the young Frenchman Benoit Paire, 7-6(5), 6-4.
The final will take place on Sunday, May 18, at 4:00 P.M. local time.
It took just over an hour for Serena Williams (1) to eliminate the qualifier Simona Halep, 6-3, 6-0, in order to advance to the Italian Open Women’s Final.
Victoria Azarenka (3) then defeated the Italian Sara Errani (7), 6-0, 7-5 , thus squelching Italy’s last chance to have one of their own make it to the final.
The final will take place on Sunday, May 18, at 1:30 P.M. local time.
CENTRALE – Start 12:00 noon
[1] Serena Williams (USA) v [Q] Simona Halep (ROU)
Not Before 2:00 P.M.
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v [7] Sara Errani (ITA)
Not Before 4:00 P.M.
[5] Rafael Nadal (ESP) v [6] Tomas Berdych (CZE)
Not Before 8:00 P.M.
Roger Federer (SUI) v Benoit Paire (FRA)
[divider]
Men’s semifinalists at the Italian Open are set:
Rafael Nadal [5] v. Tomas Berdych [6]
Roger Federer [2] v. Benoit Paire
Women’s semifinalists at the Italian Open have been determined:
Serena Williams [1] v. Simona Halep
Victoria Azarenka [3] v. Sara Errani [7]
In a stunning upset, Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 seed, was beaten in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open by the Czech Tomas Berdych 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.
The Serb won the first set comfortably. In the second, he was up 5-2, serving for the match, just two points from victory, when things fell apart.
Djokovic had his chances in the third set, but Berdych held strong. It was only his second win against Djokovic, and the first since 2010.
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CENTRALE – Start 12:00 noon
[1] Serena Williams (USA) v Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)
Not Before 2:00 P.M.
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) v [6] Tomas Berdych (CZE)
Not Before 4:00 P.M.
[4] David Ferrer (ESP) v [5] Rafael Nadal (ESP)
Not Before 7:30 P.M.
[7] Sara Errani (ITA) v [2] Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Not Before 9:00 P.M.
Jerzy Janowicz (POL) v Roger Federer (SUI)
[divider]
SUPERTENNIS ARENA – Start 12:00 noon
Benoit Paire (FRA) v Marcel Granollers (ESP)
Not Before 2:00 P.M.
[Q] Simona Halep (ROU) v Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
Not Before 4:00 P.M.
[9] Samantha Stosur (AUS) v [3] Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
[divider]
Men’s Singles – Third Round
[1] N Djokovic (SRB) d A Dolgopolov (UKR) 61 64
[5] R Nadal (ESP) d [Q] E Gulbis (LAT) 16 75 64
[2] R Federer (SUI) d G Simon (FRA) 61 62
[6] T Berdych (CZE) d K Anderson (RSA) 75 62
B Paire (FRA) d [7] J Del Potro (ARG) 64 76(3)
[4] D Ferrer (ESP) d P Kohlschreiber (GER) walkover
J Janowicz (POL) d [9] R Gasquet (FRA) 36 76(2) 64
M Granollers (ESP) d J Chardy (FRA) 64 16 75
[divider]
Women’s Singles – Third Round
[7] S Errani (ITA) d [12] M Kirilenko (RUS) 63 20 retired
[2] M Sharapova (RUS) d [16] S Stephens (USA) 62 61
[1] S Williams (USA) d [14] D Cibulkova (SVK) 60 61
J Jankovic (SRB) d [5] N Li (CHN) 76(2) 75
[Q] S Halep (ROU) d [13] R Vinci (ITA) 64 62
[9] S Stosur (AUS) d [8] P Kvitova (CZE) 75 26 61
C Suarez Navarro (ESP) d [LL] L Dominguez Lino (ESP) 62 63
[3] V Azarenka (BLR) d A Morita (JPN) 61 20 retired
[divider]
CENTRALE – Start 12:00 noon
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) v Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)
[7] Sara Errani (ITA) v [12] Maria Kirilenko (RUS)
[Q] Ernests Gulbis (LAT) v [5] Rafael Nadal (ESP)
Not Before 7:30 P.M.
[16] Sloane Stephens (USA) v [2] Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Not Before 9:00 P.M.
Gilles Simon (FRA) v [2] Roger Federer (SUI)
[divider]
SUPERTENNIS ARENA – Start 11:00 A.M.
Kevin Anderson (RSA) v [6] Tomas Berdych (CZE)
[7] Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) v Benoit Paire (FRA)
[1] Serena Williams (USA) v [14] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
[4] David Ferrer (ESP) v Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)
Not Before 7:00 P.M.
Jerzy Janowicz (POL) v [9] Richard Gasquet (FRA)
[divider]
PIETRANGELI – Start 11:00 A.M.
Jelena Jankovic (SRB) v [5] Na Li (CHN)
[Q] Simona Halep (ROU) v [13] Roberta Vinci (ITA)
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) v Marcel Granollers (ESP)
[8] Petra Kvitova (CZE) v [9] Samantha Stosur (AUS)
[divider]
COURT 2 – Start 11:00 A.M.
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) v [LL] Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP)
Not Before 4:00 P.M.
Ayumi Morita (JPN) v Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
[divider]
Men’s Singles – Second Round
J Janowicz (POL) d [8] J Tsonga (FRA) 64 76(5)
M Granollers (ESP) d [3] A Murray (GBR) 63 67(5) retired
[5] R Nadal (ESP) d F Fognini (ITA) 61 63
G Simon (FRA) d M Youzhny (RUS) 75 63
J Chardy (FRA) d [16] K Nishikori (JPN) 64 61
[Q] E Gulbis (LAT) d V Troicki (SRB) 61 61
A Dolgopolov (UKR) d [15] S Wawrinka (SUI) walkover
[4] D Ferrer (ESP) d F Verdasco (ESP) 57 75 63
P Kohlschreiber (GER) d A Ramos (ESP) 64 61
B Paire (FRA) d J Benneteau (FRA) 67(3) 64 76(4)
[divider]
Women’s Singles – Second Round
[2] M Sharapova (RUS) d [Q] G Muguruza (ESP) 62 62
C Suarez Navarro (ESP) d R Oprandi (SUI) 64 62
[5] N Li (CHN) d J Zheng (CHN) 63 61
[3] V Azarenka (BLR) d J Goerges (GER) 62 60
[13] R Vinci (ITA) d [WC] N Burnett (ITA) 61 64
[7] S Errani (ITA) d C Mchale (USA) 75 57 62
J Jankovic (SRB) d B Jovanovski (SRB) 62 60
D Cibulkova (SVK) d [Q] M Oudin (USA) 57 61 63
[9] S Stosur (AUS) d S Peng (CHN) 76(5) 60
[LL] L Dominguez Lino (ESP) d Y Wickmayer (BEL) 64 64
A Morita (JPN) d [12]U Radwanska (POL) 63 61
M Kirilenko (RUS) d V Lepchenko (USA) 63 61
[16] S Stephens (USA) d K Bertens (NED) 46 63 62
[divider]