Rafael Nadal overcame a slow start to beat Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the Rome Masters Friday. Aiming for his fifth title at the Foro Italico in six years, Nadal had trouble finding his range off Wawrinka's powerful serve but finally managed to break the 26th-ranked Swiss player to close out the first set, then cruised from there. Wawrinka, the 2008 runner-up, dropped only two points in his first four service games. Nadal improved his record on clay this season to 8-0, having won the Monte Carlo Masters two weeks ago. Nadal will next play Ernests Gulbis of Latvia, who prevented an all-Spanish quartet in the semifinals by beating Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (6), 6-1. Earlier, Fernando Verdasco extended his impressive form on clay with a grueling 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4 win over Novak Djokovic. Verdasco has reached the final of his last two events - losing to Nadal in Monte Carlo and winning last week's Barcelona Open. In the semifinals, Verdasco will face David Ferrer, who cruised past Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-1. Verdasco also beat Djokovic in the Monte Carlo semifinals, although with a relatively straightforward 6-2, 6-2 score. Roger Federer and Swiss Davis Cup teammate Yves Allegro were eliminated from the doubles tournament by American pair John Isner and Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-4. Henin overcomes Jankovic In Germany, Justine Henin of Belgium stayed on course for her first title since coming out of retirement by beating Jelena Jankovic - yet again - for a place in the semifinals of the Porsche Grand Prix. Henin rallied to win Friday's match 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 and bring her personal record against the Serb to 10-0. Henin will play Shahar Peer of Israel, who stopped Dinara Safina's comeback from injury by beating the second-seeded Russian 6-3, 6-2. Earlier, seventh-seeded Samantha Stosur also advanced to the last four with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Li Na of China to extend her winning streak on clay to 10. Stosur will next face Russian Anna Lapushchenkova, who beat Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 7-6 (1), 1-6, 6-1. Halep in Fez final In Morocco, Romanian teenager Simona Halep reached her first career WTA Tour final by beating Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-4 at the Grand Prix SAR Friday. Halep will face Voracova's compatriot, Iveta Benesova, who edged Alize Cornet of France 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, in the final. Halep's successful run this week continued as the 18-year-old qualifier put tremendous pressure on Voracova's service games to win more than half of her return points although the Czech landed 81 percent of her first serves and hit only one double-fault. Voracova took a 3-0 lead but lost four service games in a row to drop the opening set. Halep broke Voracova twice to lead 4-1 in the next set and held on despite losing her serve in the sixth game. The 144th-ranked Halep saved a break point and converted her third match point in the final game.
