Verdasco tops Djokovic again
Source: Agencies |
May 1, 2010, Saturday
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WORLD No. 2 Novak Djokovic succumbed to Fernando Verdasco for the second time in two weeks yesterday when he lost an enthralling Rome Masters quarterfinal 6-7 (4), 6-3, 4-6.
Djokovic was thrashed by in-form sixth seed Verdasco in the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters in their last meeting and the match looked like it might follow a similar plot early on.
The Serb was under constant pressure, slamming his racket down in frustration after being pushed around in a rally before caving in on serve in the seventh game.
Djokovic, the 2008 Rome champion, responded bravely though, breaking when Verdasco was serving for the set. The pair traded breaks again before the Spaniard took the set in the tiebreak.
Djokovic did not panic and read his opponent's meaty serve skillfully in the second set to break three times to one and claim it.
But Verdasco had a little more in the tank, even though he has played a lot of tennis recently after winning last week's Barcelona Open, and prevailed with an ace after three hours and 17 minutes of big-hitting action.
His reward is a semifinal against the winner of the match between compatriot David Ferrer and Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Holder Rafael Nadal, seeking his fourth Rome title in five years, was facing Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in his last-eight match later in the day.
World No. 1 Roger Federer, who lost his opening match in the singles last Tuesday, was knocked out of the doubles in the quarterfinals along with compatriot Yves Allegro by American pair John Isner and Sam Querrey, 4-6, 4-6.
In Stuttgart, Germany, seventh-seeded Samantha Stosur advanced to the semifinals of the Porsche Grand Prix with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Li Na of China yesterday to extend her winning streak on clay to 10.
The Australian committed only seven unforced errors and never faced a break point.
"I didn't realize I had so few errors so that's a good result," Stosur said. "To get 10 in a row is really good."
"I am feeling very comfortable on clay and everything is falling into place. I am really enjoying it," said Stosur, who has won 14 of her last 15 matches on clay, going back to the semifinals of last year's French Open.
Stosur is projected to move up one place to a career-high No. 9 when the new rankings come out next week.
She is seeking her second title of the year after winning in Charleston, North Carolina.
Stosur will play either Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic or Anna Lapushchenkova of Russia in the semifinals.
Safarova knocked out top seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-4 on Thursday, when seven-time grand slam winner Justine Henin, who returned to the circuit in January after a sabbatical of just under two years, beat her Belgian compatriot Yanina Wickmayer, 6-3, 7-5.
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