17th May, 2013
World number three Roger Federer overcame big-hitting Pole Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) on Friday to set up a Rome Masters semi-final with French upstart Benoit Paire.
Federer wrapped up the first set comfortably but in a tighter second set the Swiss was forced into a series of unforced errors by the service game of the giant 23-year-old from Lodz.
Janowicz built a 5-4 lead in the second set after hitting two aces.
But the Pole, standing at 2.03 metres tall, squandered a chance to level the match when he made two double faults in the 10th game.
Federer fought back to level at 6-6 and dominated Janowicz in the tie-break.
Rafael Nadal also battled his way into the semi-final, beating compatriot, David Ferrer in three sets. He will meet Czech star, Tomas Berdych in the second semi final match Saturday.
In the women’s championship, world number one Serena Williams will have to subdue Roamanian, Simona Halep, ranked 37th in the world, while Victoria Azarenka faces Italian, Sara Errani, who qualified for the semi without hitting the ball. She got a walk-over over Maria Sharapova, who withdrew from their quarter-final match, for ‘personal reasons’.