• Rome Masters

Verdasco overcomes Djokovic to reach last four

Novak Djokovic continued to struggle with his serve © Getty Images

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Fernando Verdasco remained on course for a third final in as many weeks as he edged out Novak Djokovic in an epic three-hour encounter to reach the semi-finals of the Rome Masters.

Verdasco, who has lost just two matches of 16 on clay this year, enjoyed his eighth straight win on his favoured surface with a 7-6(4) 3-6 6-4 victory.

Djokovic struggled with his serve, hitting five double faults in the opening set as he was broken three times, but the world No. 2 managed to cling on to take the opening set to a tie-breaker.

Verdasco had taken a 6-5 lead to serve for the set, but he could not close it out, and Djokovic battled hard to force the opening set to a tie-break, but Verdasco showed his superiority on clay to take the lead.

Djokovic found some rhythm in the second set, hitting two aces as he lost just eight points on serve to level the match and take it to a decider.

But Verdasco took an early break and Djokovic was unable to find his way back into the contest, and despite his desperate attempts, Verdasco served out for the victory to book his place in the semi-finals.

"It was a really tough match," said Verdasco. "The court was really fast and it was hard to move, especially in the second set as it was really dry.

"I was fighting hard and I am so happy with the way I closed out the match in the last game."

The left-hander will now meet fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the last-four after the No. 13 seed cruised past Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4 6-1.

Ferrer, who knocked Andy Murray out in the third round, edged a tight first set, taking a crucial break at 5-4 to take the set before racing to a 4-0 lead in the second.

Seventh seed Tsonga did manage to break the Spaniard once, but failed to hold serve in the second set as Ferrer secured a third semi-final appearance in as many weeks as he stormed to victory in an hour and 12 minutes.

Monte Carlo champion Rafael Nadal has a fifth Rome title in his sights after powering past Stanislas Wawrinka. Unbeaten on clay in 2010, Nadal chalked up a 6-4 6-1 victory to overpower a determined Wawrinka, who beat fifth seed Robin Soderling on Thursday.

The world No. 3 was tested on his serve, and was forced to save two break points in the opening game of the second set, but he responded emphatically storm to victory with two breaks of serve. He will now meet the in-form Latvian Ernests Gulbis, who prevented an all-Spanish semi-final showing, beating Feliciano Lopez 7-6(6) 6-1.

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