MADRID (AP)—Roger Federer’s dominance of Andy Roddick continued on clay after the world No. 2 beat the American 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-1, while Rafael Nadal stayed perfect against Fernando Verdasco with a 6-4, 7-5 victory to also reach the Madrid Open semifinals on Friday.
Federer improved to 18-2 against Roddick after their first career meeting on dirt.
“His game translates well to most anything,” said the sixth-seeded Roddick.
Nadal’s 32nd straight clay win improved him to 9-0 against Verdasco, with three of those victories coming this year.
Nadal will play Novak Djokovic, another regular foe, after the third-seeded Serb dispatched wild card Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-4.
“The more matches that I play against him, the more chances I have to prove something more to myself and to everybody else,” said Djokovic, who has lost to Nadal three times this year. “I know that just a couple of points here or there will decide the winner.”
Top-ranked Dinara Safina advanced to the women’s semifinals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko, and will play Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder, who beat fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic 7-6 (6), 6-3.
Amelie Mauresmo will face Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki in the other semi.
Federer, who won here in 2006 when the tournament was played indoors on a hard court, broke Roddick for the second time in the 11th game before serving out the first set.
Roddick saved three break points in the ninth game of the second set to hold on for a tiebreaker, where the American rallied from 3-0 down to even the match.
Federer stopped Roddick’s momentum with an early break in the third set and used his serve to hold on for the win.
“It was a close match. I bounced back well in the third (set),” said Federer, who had 15 aces. “I feel I have decent control over the ball this week.”
Fourth-seeded Andy Murray was playing No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro later to decide Federer’s next opponent.
After taking the first set, Nadal fell behind 4-0 before rallying to 4-4 with the help of Verdasco’s seven double-faults.
Nadal smacked a cross-court winner to hold his serve after a back-and-forth 11th game and, after breaking Verdasco for the fourth time, improved to 149-4 on clay since 2005.
Safina overcame a letdown after a blazing start against 46th-ranked Bondarenko and took the opening set with a break in the 10th game.
“I had a bad call from the umpire and I lost a little bit of concentration,” Safina said of blowing a 3-0 lead. “But I found my game and I’m playing every match better and better.”
Schnyder’s high balls troubled Jankovic. The fourth-ranked Serb committed 35 unforced errors while Schnyder hit 29 winners.
Mauresmo rallied for a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 win over Agnes Szavay of Hungary, while the ninth-seeded Wozniacki beat Russian qualifier Vera Dushevina 6-0, 6-4.
Federer improved to 18-2 against Roddick after their first career meeting on dirt.
“His game translates well to most anything,” said the sixth-seeded Roddick.
Nadal’s 32nd straight clay win improved him to 9-0 against Verdasco, with three of those victories coming this year.
Nadal will play Novak Djokovic, another regular foe, after the third-seeded Serb dispatched wild card Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-4.
“The more matches that I play against him, the more chances I have to prove something more to myself and to everybody else,” said Djokovic, who has lost to Nadal three times this year. “I know that just a couple of points here or there will decide the winner.”
Top-ranked Dinara Safina advanced to the women’s semifinals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko, and will play Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder, who beat fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic 7-6 (6), 6-3.
Amelie Mauresmo will face Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki in the other semi.
Federer, who won here in 2006 when the tournament was played indoors on a hard court, broke Roddick for the second time in the 11th game before serving out the first set.
Roddick saved three break points in the ninth game of the second set to hold on for a tiebreaker, where the American rallied from 3-0 down to even the match.
Federer stopped Roddick’s momentum with an early break in the third set and used his serve to hold on for the win.
“It was a close match. I bounced back well in the third (set),” said Federer, who had 15 aces. “I feel I have decent control over the ball this week.”
Fourth-seeded Andy Murray was playing No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro later to decide Federer’s next opponent.
After taking the first set, Nadal fell behind 4-0 before rallying to 4-4 with the help of Verdasco’s seven double-faults.
Nadal smacked a cross-court winner to hold his serve after a back-and-forth 11th game and, after breaking Verdasco for the fourth time, improved to 149-4 on clay since 2005.
Safina overcame a letdown after a blazing start against 46th-ranked Bondarenko and took the opening set with a break in the 10th game.
“I had a bad call from the umpire and I lost a little bit of concentration,” Safina said of blowing a 3-0 lead. “But I found my game and I’m playing every match better and better.”
Schnyder’s high balls troubled Jankovic. The fourth-ranked Serb committed 35 unforced errors while Schnyder hit 29 winners.
Mauresmo rallied for a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 win over Agnes Szavay of Hungary, while the ninth-seeded Wozniacki beat Russian qualifier Vera Dushevina 6-0, 6-4.
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