Rafael Nadal swats aside Fernando Verdasco to set up Stefanos Tsitsipas clash

Shahida Jacobs 17 May 2019 5:28 PM

Defending champion Rafael Nadal overcame a poor start to brush aside Fernando Verdasco in the quarter-final of the Italian Open.

The second seed was broken in the first game of the match, but he bounced back to beat his fellow Spaniard 6-4, 6-0 in one hour and 39 minutes at Foro Italico.

Rolling in Rome 💪@RafaelNadal surges into his 11th @InteBNLdItalia semi-final with a 6-4 6-0 victory over Fernando Verdasco. pic.twitter.com/UpMC8jQHEo

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) May 17, 2019

Nadal managed to draw level in game six and then broke again in game 10 to take the opening set while the second set was one-way traffic.

The 17-time Grand Slam winner will face eighth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the final after the Greek advanced when Roger Federer withdrew due to a knee injury.

The duo met in the Madrid Open semi-final last week with Tsitsipas emerging victorious in three sets.

Follow us on Twitter @T365Official and like our Facebook page.