Masters Series Hamburg 2008: Semifinals
May 17
While Andreas Seppi had to struggle to get into the semifinals, it was easier for the reigning champion Roger Federer, clay-court king Rafael Nadal and Australian Open titlist Novak Djokovic.
Standin at the No. 1 position, Federer blew past Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-3, while Nadal standing in the 2nd postion floored Carlos Moya 6-1, 6-3 and the third-seeded Djokovic took the game away from the Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-3 on Day 6 at Rothenbaum.
Federer will face Italian Andreas Seppi on Saturday, who took out heavy German crowd favorite Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 5-7, 7-5. The 26-year-old Federer is 1-0 lifetime against Seppi, with the win coming on red clay in Monte Carlo last year. The three-time French Open champion Nadal, who has to beat Djokovic on Saturday in order to retain his world No. 2 ranking, is 6-3 lifetime against the surging Serb, including a semifinal victory in a Masters Series tournament at Indian Wells earlier this season.
Semifinal Matches
Roger Federer (1) vs. Andreas Seppi
Rafael Nadal (2) vs. Novak Djokovic (3)
The Masters Series Hamburg Semifinals will be aired on 17th May at 4.30 pm and 6.30 pm on ESPN India.
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