Federer survives

Rome

Swiss world number two Roger Federer survived a late fightback by Kevin Anderson yesterday to book his place in the quarter-finals and a possible last four match-up with Rafael Nadal at the Italian Open.

Federer, bidding to win his first title on the red clay of the Foro Italico, swept Anderson aside 6-3 in the first set and looked to be heading to an easy win on Centre Court before the 15th-seeded South African launched a late fightback.

Anderson stubbornly saved two match points in the second set before Federer sealed the win 7-5 to book a last eight clash with Czech Tomas Berdych or local hope Fabio Fognini. If Federer accounts for Berdych he will meet seven-time champion Nadal -- a 6-4, 6-4 winner over big-serving American John Isner -- in the semi-finals on Saturday, providing the Spaniard overcomes Swiss Stan Wawrinka on Friday.

Nadal came into the event looking to make amends for his defeat to Andy Murray in the final of the Madrid Masters last week, when the Scot took his victory streak to a remarkable 10 wins out of 10 on clay this season.

Murray pulls out   

Murray’s hopes of continuing his stunning form on what is not his favourite surface were kept in check by a bout of fatigue which forced the Scot, the world number three, to pull out prior to his third round match-up with Belgian David Goffin.

Goffin will now meet David Ferrer after the Spaniard beat countryman Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1, 6-3. The winner of that quarter-final could come up against Novak Djokovic.  Joining Murray on the way out through the turnstiles was defending women’s champion Serena Williams, who cited a sore right elbow for her decision to withdraw prior to her third round match with Christina McHale.

Williams said the ramifications for her future targets of Roland Garros and Wimbledon were too serious had she decided to play through the pain.

Maria Sharapova cruised past Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia 6-3, 6-3 to set up a quarter-final with Carla Suarez after the Spanish 10th seed took three sets to beat Eugenie Bouchard of Canada.

On her way to the final the Russian could cross paths with Romanian second seed Simona Halep, a straight sets winner over Venus Williams (6-2, 6-1) or Czech Petra Kvitova, who swept Jelena Jankovic of Serbia aside 6-3, 6-2. (AFP)