Top seed Rafael Nadal of Spain beat Andy Murray of Britain in a three-set thriller on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Italian Open.
Murray blew away a 4-2 lead in the decider as Nadal hit back to win 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and 40 minutes.
Nadal, 27, in the semifinal will play Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov who went through when Germany’s Tommy Haas retired with a shoulder injury.
Murray, who turned 27 on Thursday, was happy with his performance in Rome.
“I’m getting close to getting back to where I want to be, and that’s pleasing with a couple of big months ahead,” he said.
“Tonight was probably the best I’ve hit the ball for a while, and the best I’ve felt physically since the surgery,” he said.
Nadal said he produced his best game in both physical and mental terms to beat Murray.
“The physical part is really good, the mental part too, and my tennis is going to be there sooner or later,” sais Nadal. “This was one of my best matches in a while,” he said.
Earlier, two-time champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia edged past Spain’s fifth seed David Ferrer 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 and he will face Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic, who beat Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
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