match. "Were just going to sharpen up and have a good practice o

MADRID, Spain -- Defending champion Rafael Nadal gave his clay-court doldrums a boost by reaching the Madrid Open semifinals on Friday with a dominant performance against Thomas Berdych. Fake Reds Jerseys . In the womens tournament, two-time defending champion Serena Williams withdrew with a leg injury, while Maria Sharapova ousted Li Na in the quarterfinals. The top-ranked Nadal had lost his previous two quarterfinal matches on clay for his worst run on the surface in a decade. But buoyed on by a partisan crowd, Nadal overpowered Berdych 6-4, 6-2 to advance at the Magic Box. "I brought great energy and intensity to it and thats the best news, that its my best (on clay) yet," Nadal said. "The things that, historically, Ive done well on this surface I managed to do them again today." Nadal has been improving with every match in Madrid after losing at the quarterfinals stage in preceding tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. But he showed no sign of the nerves that had uncharacteristically crept into the game of the most successful clay-court player ever as he pushed Berdych to the corners and punished him with a powerful forehand that accounted for 16 of his winners. "My play is good when Im hitting my forehand well, especially on clay," said Nadal, who is vying for his third title in the Spanish capital. "In Monte Carlo I used my backhand more and not my forehand, and when I have to hit five or six backhands in a row it doesnt help my game." Berdych, who dropped to 3-18 against Nadal, couldnt keep up in the hot sun beating down on Manolo Santana centre court. Nadal faces countryman Roberto Bautista Agut after the 45th-ranked player beat Colombias Santiago Giraldo 6-3, 6-4. David Ferrer followed Bautista Aguts victory with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 win over Ernests Gulbis to become the third Spaniard in the semis. Kei Nishikori prevented an all-Spanish lineup in the final four by beating Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-4 in the late match. The win also ensures that he will become the first Japanese player to break into the top 10 when the new world rankings are released on Monday. Nishikori remained undefeated on clay this season in nine matches after winning the Barcelona Open title. The top-ranked Williams has had her left thigh heavily bandaged this week and said she injured it during a first-round victory over Belinda Bencic on Sunday. "It started to get better but, most importantly right now, I just need some time to rest and recover. Its beyond words. Its so frustrating," Williams said in a statement. "This is not the way I wanted this week to end." The withdrawal gave 2011 champion Petra Kvitova a walkover and a spot in the semifinals. The 32-year-old Williams said the injury would not keep her out of the French Open, with the defending champion tweeting she would play in Rome next week before the second Grand Slam of the season starts on May 25. Sharapova reached the semis after she rallied to beat Li 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Li was in control until she failed to convert two break points in the 11th game of the second set. Errors then began creeping into the Australian Open champions game as Sharapova evened the match. After an exchange of breaks in the third set, the ninth-ranked Russian broke again and then held serve to win on Lis 43rd unforced error. "It really could have gone her way today. You know, it was just a matter of a few points in the second set," said Sharapova, who came through despite seven doublefaults. "I was down, I didnt play a great first set, and I found a way to get myself in a position to be in the third." Sharapova faces third-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals after the Polish player beat French qualifier Caroline Garcia 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Kvitova will face fourth-seeded Simona Halep after the Romanian ousted Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-2, 6-2. Cincinnati Reds Shirts . -- Jerel Worthy and his Michigan State teammates charged across the field, holding four fingers in the air while celebrating another sweet victory over their biggest rival. Joey Votto Jersey . Leaning forward with both hands on his knees, Buffon appeared to be resting or somehow trying to withstand the rain. Or perhaps the 36-year-old goalkeeper and Italy captain was reflecting on this: He is only the third player in history to be part of five World Cup squads, along with Germany great Lothar Matthaus and former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal. https://www.cheapredsjerseys.us/1825s-anthony-desclafani-jersey-reds.html .com) - His team lost in the round of 16 of the FCS playoffs, yet Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley says his team has made a strong case to be voted to the top 5 in the final rankings.FLIMS, Switzerland -- The Canadian women are off to a strong start at the world junior curling championships, but the men are struggling early on. Albertas Kelsey Rocque won both her games Wednesday on the first day of the round robin. Rocque and her Edmonton team of Keely Brown, Taylor McDonald and Claire Tully stole four ends, including a single in an extra end, to score a 7-6 victory over Czech Republic in the first draw. Later Wednesday they fell behind Italys Veronica Zappone 5-3 after the Italians stole a point in the seventh, but rallied for three points in the eighth and went on to win 8-6. "It was rough, I struggled a bit," said Rocque about the first five ends against Italy. "We just werent curling like we could." She felt the three points in the seventh gave the Canadians some momentum. "We started making some shots. You could see a change in our attitudes," Rocque said. Aaron Boone Jersey. "We started curling a little better and we had some confidence back." On the mens side, the Winnipeg team of Braden Calvert, Kyle Kurz, Lucas Van Den Bosch and Brendan Wilson lost two close games on the first day of competition. The Canadians lost their first game 8-6 to the 2013 silver medallists from Russia. Canada was leading 6-5 after nine ends, but Russias Sergey Glukhov was able to score three for the 8-6 victory. Calvert followed with a 6-5 loss to Sweden. Calvert stole one in the ninth end to lead 5-4, but Swedens Fredrik Nyman took a deuce in the 10th. "We were just on the wrong side of the inch all day, and we werent as sharp as we needed to be today," said Calvert after the match. "Were just going to sharpen up and have a good practice on the sheet well play tomorrow and well be good." ' ' '