Nadal raises streak with win in Rome

ROME, May 1 (UPI) -- Rafael Nadal increased his clay court winning streak to 28 straight Friday with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Fernando Verdasco at the Italian Masters in Rome.

The top-seeded Spaniard remained unbeaten in 14 matches on the surface this season and has not dropped a set this week.

The reigning Australian Open, Wimbledon and French Open champion next faces either 12th-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile or non-seed Juan Monaco of Argentina in Saturday's semifinals.

Elsewhere Friday, second-seeded Roger Federer slammed unseeded Mischa Zverev of Russia 7-6 (7-3), 6-2; and third-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia, the defending champion, beat fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina 6-3, 6-4.

Djokovic faces Federer in Saturday's other semifinal.

The 2009 Rome winner will take home $565,000 after Sunday's title match.