Tsitsipas advanced after Federer -- returning to clay after a two-year absence -- retired with a right leg injury before their game
Switzerlands Roger Federer wipes his face during his ATP Masters tournament tennis match against Portugals Joao Sousa at the Foro Italico in Rome on May 16, 2019. - World number three Roger Federer pulled out of the Italian Open before his quarter-final m
Defending champion Rafael Nadal swept into the last four of the Italian Open on Friday as Roger Federer and Naomi Osaka both pulled out injured just a week before the start of the French Open. Eight-time champion Nadal came through 6-4, 6-0 against fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco to set up a rematch with Greek rising star Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the final.
Tsitsipas advanced after Federer -- returning to clay after a two-year absence -- retired with a right leg injury before their game. "I am not 100 percent physically and after consultation with my team, it was determined that I not play," said 37-year-old Federer. For 32-year-old Nadal it is his fourth straight semi-final on clay this season, but he has not managed to go further before his bid for a 12th French Open title at Roland Garros, starting on May 26.
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Tsitsipas stunned Nadal in last week-s Madrid Open semi-finals before falling to Novak Djokovic, but lost to the Spaniard in the Australian Open semis earlier this year. "It-s good news I have been able to be back again in the semi-finals. Another three straight victories," said second seed Nadal.
"So for me personally, every victory gives me confidence for the next one." "After a lot of years here, I know what happened last week, and I-m going to try to do it better tomorrow," added the 17-time Grand Slam winner. Reigning US and Australian Open champion Osaka had earlier said she could not compete because of a problem with her right hand.
"I woke up this morning and I couldn-t really move my thumb," the 21-year-old said. "I tried to practice and grip my racket and I just felt this pain every time I tried to move my hand in different directions." The Japanese star was due to meet Madrid Open champion and sixth seed Kiki Bertens.
The Dutch player now goes through to meet Britain-s Johanna Konta, who battled past Czech Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. "I haven-t seen the doctor yet. I-ve seen the physio," she said. Osaka said she could stay in Rome before going on to the French Open, but did not rule out competing at Roland Garros. "I-m going to stay here for one more day and see how it is," she said. "I haven-t really talked to everyone so don-t really know the plan is yet. I-ve never had this problem before, it-s brand new."
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