By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, May 15, 2015
Roger Federer permitted only four points on first serve, sweeping Tomas Berdych, 6-3, 6-3, to soar into his fifth semifinal of the season.
Photo credit: Internazionali BNL D'Italia
A blast from Tomas Berdych dislodged a clump of clay. A wind gust knocked a photographer's camera on court and later kicked up a sheet of red dust.
It was unruly in Rome at times today, but Roger Federer tamed the turbulence calmly rolling into his fifth semifinal of the season.
Imposing four-game runs to close both sets, Federer swept Berdych, 6-3, 6-3, in a tidy 66-minute performance.
The second-ranked Swiss won 25 of 29 points played on his first serve and denied three of four break points.
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Berdych broke first, but Federer spent the rest of the match defusing the big-hitting Czech with depth and angle when he wasn't busy befuddling him with guile and touch.
The three-time tournament finalist will face either seven-time Rome champion Rafael Nadal or Davis Cup teammate and sometime doubles partner Stan Wawrinka for a spot in Sunday's final.
Nine years ago, Federer and Nadal played an epic final in the Eternal City that spanned five hours, five minutes. Nadal fought off two match points to prevail 6-7 (0), 7-6 (5), 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (5) back when the tournament hosted five-set finals.
Winless in three prior clay-court encounters with the 19-time Grand Slam champion, Berdych was the baseline boss in early exchanges. The world No. 5 cracked an inside-out forehand creating the first break for 3-2.
Working with coach Dani Vallverdu, Andy Murray's former coach, Berdych has added some spin to his forehand, mixed his serving patterns and tried to step into the court more when opportunity arises. But Berdych is a flat-hitter at heart and when tension strikes he can struggle to master the margins over net. A slice backhand from Federer coaxed a wild slice reply for double break point. Berdych double faulted to donate the break back.
On clay, opponents often try to hammer heavy topspin at Federer's one-handed backhand, but that stroke produced brilliance today. Federer flicked a backhand pass crosscourt that rattled his opponent. Berdych spit out another double fault and when the sixth seed netted a forehand, Federer had his second straight break for 5-3.
The Swiss's versatility and ability to alter his spins and speeds were weapons on a breezy day against a flat-hitting opponent who did not look comfortable coping with the low ball in the front court.
Serving for the set, Federer fought off three break points, carving out an audacious backhand drop shot to save the third. On his second set point, Federer lashed a forehand winner down the line capping a four-game run to seal the 31-minute opener.
Berdych tried targeting the Swiss's backhand, but paid the price. Federer blasted a backhand down the line, wrong-footing Berdych, to break for a 4-3 second set lead and never looked back.
In an all-David duel, No. 7 seed David Ferrer defeated David Goffin, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours, nine minutes. Goffin is projected to rise to a career-high rank of No. 18 when the new rankings are released on Monday, which would make him the highest-ranked Belgian man in history, eclipsing Xavier Malisee, who reached No. 19 in August, 2002.
Ferrer will face world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.