ROME -- Novak Djokovic cant seem to find any consistency on clay courts. And with the French Open less than 10 days away, he will enter Roland Garros on the back of two early defeats. The top-ranked Serb wasted a chance to serve out the match and was beaten 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 by sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych in the Italian Open quarterfinals Friday. In the semifinals, Berdych will face six-time Rome champion Rafael Nadal, who defeated fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. While he struggled at times, Nadal appeared sharper than in his three-set win over Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis a day earlier. In the other half of the draw, Roger Federer overcame an early break in the second set to edge rising Polish player Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 7-6 (2) in a night match at the Foro Italico. Attempting to win this tournament for the first time, Federers next opponent will be Benoit Paire. The 36th-ranked Frenchman routed Marcel Granollers of Spain 6-1, 6-0 to reach his first Masters series semifinal. In the womens tournament, top-ranked Serena Williams rolled past Spanish opponent Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 6-0 to extend her winning run to a career-best 22 matches. Williams will next face Romanian qualifier Simona Halep, who rallied past two-time Rome champion Jelena Jankovic 4-6, 6-0, 7-5. Meanwhile, two-time defending champion Maria Sharapova withdrew before her quarterfinal against seventh-seeded Sara Errani due to illness. Errani, the first Italian semifinalist in this tournament since Raffaella Reggi won the 1985 event in Taranto, will face third-seeded Victoria Azarenka, who held off ninth-seeded Sam Stosur 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. Its the second consecutive week that Djokovic has struggled, having also lost to Grigor Dimitrov in the second round of the Madrid Open after being bothered by a right ankle injury. Djokovic said he had been playing pain free this week. Still, he will need to get his game in shape in a hurry with the French Open, the years second Grand Slam, starting May 26. "I know I can play well on clay and so I shouldnt allow myself to have these drops, and lets hope it wont happen for Roland Garros," Djokovic said of the only major he hasnt won. "Im fine. I just lost my rhythm." Djokovic served for the match at 5-3 in the second set, but Berdych ripped a backhand winner that landed on the line on his first break point and won the final four games of the set. "Its a very strange situation," Djokovic said. "I played very well and was two points from winning. Then the entire match changed and I was a different player." Its the first time Berdych has reached the semifinals in eight appearances in Rome, having been eliminated four times in the quarters. The tall Czech took control of the match with his big first serve, and by coming forward to angle shots into the corners to set up easy volleys. Djokovic had trouble returning Berdychs first serve and also complained about the courts surface early on. In the third set, Berdych went ahead with an early break and then shook off some nerves to close the match out on his fourth match point with a big serve out wide that Djokovic could barely get his racket on. As overcast skies gave way to sunshine, the court dried out, favouring Berdychs power game. "I lost the concentration," Djokovic said. "I started playing more defensively. ... He started playing more confidently, stepping into the court and taking advantage of his opportunities." It was only Berdychs second win in 15 career meetings with Djokovic, with his only previous victory coming in the 2010 Wimbledon semifinals. It was also only Berdychs fourth win versus a top-ranked player in 20 attempts, with all three previous wins coming against Federer. "He has been for quite a few years just behind the top four," Djokovic said. "Hes able to play big matches. He has proven that. So (he) is definitely a very dangerous player on any surface with a serve like that." Djokovic was 148-4 when winning the first set since 2011, according to the ATP. Williams had twice won 21 in a row before, although both of those runs came a decade ago, in 2002 and 2003. "Ive been pretty consistent, and pretty healthy -- knock on wood," Williams said. "I feel great -- never felt better." Martina Navratilova established the longest womens win run in the Open Era at 74 matches in 1984. Williams only title here came in 2002, when she beat Justine Henin in the final. That was also the year she won her only French Open title. Last year in Paris, Williams lost in the opening round of a major for the first time, falling to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano of France. Sharapova said he was struggling with an illness she first contracted last week, when she was runner-up to Williams in Madrid, although she showed no problems Thursday as she beat 16th-seeded Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-1. "I was already a bit off in Madrid and played though it and it came back last night and I got sick again and its not smart to compete again," said Sharapova, adding that she had a fever after beating Stephens. "Obviously with the French Open coming up it is important to make smart decisions." Cheap NBA Hoodies . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday. http://www.cheapjerseysnba.us/ . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Nike NBA Jerseys China . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. Disocunt Basketball Jerseys . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. OMAHA, Neb. -- Unbeaten world champion Terence Bud Crawford stopped John Molina in the eighth round to end a dominating performance Saturday night.Crawford retained his WBO and WBC junior welterweight titles. Molina didnt make the 140-pound weight Friday, and if Crawford had been upset, the titles would have been vacated.Crawford was in control all the way and finished off Molina moments after Molina raised his hands, as if to ask for more as the champion landed a flurry of punches. A shot to Molinas midsection backed him into the corner, and Crawford then unloaded repeated shots to the head and body, causing Molina to go down. Referee Mark Nelson stepped in to stop the fight at the 2:32 mark.The 29-year-old Crawford (30-0, 21 knockouts) came out in an orthodox stance but quickly switched to southpaw. Molina was on defense early, with Crawford landing a left to the head and then a right that staggered him. Molina walked into a right to the head in the second.Crawford went mostly untouched, but Molina did land a hard right to the head in the third. From there, Crawford mixed in his jab while connecting often with punches to the head and body.Crawford beat previously undefeated Viktor Postol by unanimous decisioon in July in Las Vegas to unify the 140-pound titles, and Crawford continues to hold out hope that he gets a shot at Manny Pacquiao before the Philippine boxer retires.ddddddddddddThe 33-year-old Molina (29-7, 23 knockouts) upset Ruslan Provodnikov in his last fight but had been just 5-5 in his previous 10.The fight against Crawford lost much of its luster when Molina weighed in at 143.4 pounds on Friday, disqualifying him from winning the titles.In the co-main event, former world title contender Ray Beltran knocked out Mason Menard 51 seconds into the seventh round to win a pair of regional lightweight titles.Beltran (32-7-1, 20 knockouts) began asserting himself after the second round. Beltran left Menard (32-2, 24 knockouts) woozy with a flurry at the end of the sixth. 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