ROME MASTERS 1000 – For the first time in his career on clay, Stan Wawrinka beat Rafael Nadal Friday in the quarterfinals (7-6, 6-2). The Swiss will face his compatriot Roger Federer on Saturday for a place in the final.
More than a defeat of Nadal, that’s a victory for Wawrinka. The Swiss followed his game plan to perfection. Aggressive, he refused to undergo the exchange and tried to move as soon as he could. Mentally, it was also very strong for his opponent to doubt.