Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic reach respective semifinals
FILE Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Combined images from Reuters
Coming off back-to-back three-set matches, No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal rolled to a 6-1, 6-4 win over Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Barcelona Open.
The 11-time Barcelona champion saved two of three break points and took advantage of five double faults by Norrie. Nadal will meet fellow Spaniard and No. 6 seed Pablo Carreno Busta, who outlasted No. 4 Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in two hours and 35 minutes.
Saturday’s other semifinal pits No. 2 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece against Italian teenager Jannik Sinner, the No. 11 seed. Sinner was a 6-2, 7-6 (6) winner against No. 3 Andrey Rublev of Russia, while Tsistipas eliminated No. 10 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada 6-3, 6-3.
Serbia Open
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia crushed countryman Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1, 6-3 to reach the semifinals in Belgrade.
A two-time winner of the event, Djokovic eliminated the No. 8 seed in 75 minutes. He won 75 percent of the points on his first serve (24 of 32), compared to 37 percent (11 of 30) for Kecmanovic. Djokovic’s foe Saturday will be No. 3 seed Aslan Karatsev of Russia, who won 6-3, 6-4 against Italy’s Gianluca Mager.
Unseeded Taro Daniel of Japan meets No. 2 Matteo Berrettini of Italy in the other semifinal. Daniel rallied for a 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 win against Argentina’s Federico Delbonis, while Berrettini struck nine aces in a 6-4, 6-4 win against fifth-seeded Serbian Filip Krajinovic.
