Serena Williams breezes into Rome Open semi-finals

Rome: Top seed Serena Williams booked her place in the semi-finals of the WTA Rome Open on Friday after a comfortable 6-2, 6-0 win over Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro.

Williams took just more than 56 minutes on Central Court to brush aside the Spaniard, who offered little in reply to the American’s all-round more powerful game.

The world No 1, who will claim her 51st WTA title if she triumphs this weekend, will meet the winner of the quarter-final between Jelena Jankovic and Simona Halep. Williams earned her 49th career singles title, and third of the year, by beating former world No 1 Jankovic in the final of the Family Circle Cup last month.

But Russia’s Maria Sharapova pulled out of the Italian clay-court event citing ‘physical problems’, the WTA said on Friday.

The two-time winner of the tournament and world No 2 had been due to play Italy’s Sara Errani in the quarter-finals.

Sharapova, the defending champion, posted a message on her Twitter account explaining the reason for her withdrawal.

“I’m sorry for having to withdraw from the tournament this morning,” she said. “Didn’t recover after being sick last week and it got me again last night.

“It really is one of my favourite tournaments during the year and I can’t wait to be back next year!”

Errani, the world No 6, will meet the winner of the semi-final between Australia’s Samantha Stosur and Viktoria Azarenka of Belarus.

On Thursday, defending champion Rafael Nadal endured a three-set thriller before overcoming big-hitting Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 to reach the Rome Masters quarter-finals.

Gulbis, ranked 46th, and a winner in Rome in 2010 over Roger Federer on his way to the semi-finals, saved two match points in the third set but finally went down when he sent a forehand wide, to the relief of a dancing, celebrating Nadal.

The Spaniard now stands 6-0 against Gulbis as he bids for a seventh Rome title.

He was due to face compatriot David Ferrer, who advanced in a walkover against Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, who was suffering from vertigo.

Nadal said: “Being in the quarter-finals is fantastic. I’m more than pleased with what I’ve done since I returned [from his seven months off with knee problems].”

Nadal was fresh from his Madrid title at the weekend — his record 23rd Masters. He has won five titles from seven finals since returning to tennis after his seven-month injury absence.

Top seed Novak Djokovic played without ankle pain in a routine 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Alexandr Dolgopolov. The Serb dispatched his Ukrainian opponent in an hour, with five aces and 13 winners in a contest that began 45 minutes late due to morning rain.

The two-time Rome champion will next play Czech Tomas Berdych, a winner over South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 7-5, 6-2.

Djokovic said that he had almost forgotten about his ankle injury since winning the title in Monte Carlo over Nadal last month.

“I’ve been pain-free for a week but I’m still very cautious in my warm-up and recovery,” he said. “I don’t think it will bother me any more and I don’t think about it when I’m on the court.”

Second seed Federer demolished Gilles Simon 6-1, 6-2 and set up a meeting with Jerzy Janowicz after the Pole knocked out Richard Gasquet, the ninth seed, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.

Federer is looking for his first Rome trophy after playing finals in 2003 and 2006.