Champion Djokovic sets up Federer semi in Rome

The 21-year-old world number three Djokovic needs to retain his title or he will lose his ranking spot to number four Briton Andy Murray,who was knocked out in the second round earlier this week.

But he looked every bit championship material with a commanding performance that lasted 1hr 38min under the baking sun at the Foro Italico.

The Serbian has yet to drop a set in three matches in this tournament and took command early on in the first set after a series of three breaks in a row. That allowed him to serve out the set 6-3,capping it with an ace on set point.

Del Potro came out with renewed determination in the second set and while he became increasingly dominant on his first serve,he also became more vulnerable on his second.

That gave Djokovic the initiative to break the Argentine fifth seed at 2-2 when Del Potro went long with a backhand at 15-40.

The match then went with serve until Del Potro had to save a match point at 3-5 with a big serve. He saved two more match points at 4-5 when third seed Djokovic went wide with a backhand down the line and then netted a forehand.

But the Serbian claimed the victory on his fourth match point as Del Potro ran around his backhand but hit a cramped forehand into the net.

It was Djokovic’s greater class that counted in the end as their statistics looked similar but for the Serbian hitting 20 winners to just eight from the Argentine.

Zverev impressed in the first set against Federer with an attacking and courageous serve and volley game that brought him much success.

He matched the Swiss 13-time Grand Slam winner blow for blow until the 10th game when Federer forced the first break points of the match. Federer missed his first break and set point when he sent a passing shot into the tramlines and on his second opportunity,Zverev hit a volley winner.

The first set went to a tie break and although Federer lost the first point on serve he bounced back quickly and took a 4-2 lead with a mini-break of his own from a trademark backhand crosscourt pass.

He grew in confidence from there and sealed the tie-break 7-3 with a forehand pass as Zverev continued to crowd the net. Having broken the German’s resistance,Federer romped away with the second set,although Zverev saved two match points on his own serve at 1-5.

However,the Swiss master had no problems in serving out the match with a stop backhand volley,two forehand winners and then a service winner.