ROME: World number one Novak Djokovic crashed to defeat at the Rome Masters at the hands of big-serving Tomas Berdych yesterday while Maria Sharapova withdrew from the women’s event through illness.
Berdych, who had beaten top-seeded Djokovic only once in their last 14 meetings, prevailed 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 to book himself an unlikely place in the semi-finals and boost his chances ahead of the French Open which gets underway on May 26.
“I lost this match by myself,” admitted Djokovic, who had led by a set and 5-2 and had suffered a second round loss to Grigor Dimitrov at last week’s Madrid Masters.
“I just lost a bit of concentration. I started playing more defensively.
“The match turned around, he gained confidence and I had a few unforced errors.
“At this level you have to take the opportunities when they come to you.”
Berdych will now meet defending champion Rafael Nadal after coming through a tough quarter-final against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.
Nadal prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in a 2hr 46min thriller in which Ferrer’s challenge only petered out in the deciding set.
It is Nadal’s second win over Ferrer inside a fortnight after his quarter-final victory over him on his way to the Madrid Masters title last week.
Earlier French surprise package Benoit Paire continued his good run of form by qualifying for his first Masters semi-final with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Spaniard Marcel Granollers.
Maria Sharapova said the thought of not recovering in time to defend her French Open title had prompted her to pull out of the Rome Open before her quarter-final.
Sharapova, a two-time winner and the world number two, had been due to play Italy’s Sara Errani, who she defeated in last year’s French Open final.
However, the Russian announced her withdrawal on Friday morning, citing sickness and claiming she had run a temperature overnight.
“I’ve a lot on my schedule and they all mean a lot for me and obviously with the French Open coming up it is important to make smart decisions,” said Sharapova, who was runner-up to Serena Williams in Madrid last weekend.
Sharapova said she felt physically under-par during her win over Sloane Stephens on Thursday, but that she had also been “a bit off” in Madrid last week.
“You could see it in my energy last night,” she said. “I was already a bit off in Madrid and played through it and it came back last night and I got sick again.
“It’s not smart to again compete two or three rounds to win the tournament and with Paris starting next week.”
Asked whether the fact that it was her boyfriend’s (Grigor Dimitrov) birthday on Thursday was a factor, she replied: “Is that a question or a comment? I don’t think that has anything to do with it.”
Top seed Williams, meanwhile, sailed through to her semi-final with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro. AFP
