Andy Roddick was forced to retire from his Rome Masters semi-final against Stanislas Wawrinka with a back injury.

Unseeded Swiss Wawrinka was leading 3-0 when Roddick pulled up awkwardly after his opponent struck a forehand winner.

The American, 25, received courtside treatment but was unable to continue, handing his opponent an easy passage into his second final of the year.

Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic plays Roger Federer's conqueror Radek Stepanek in the other semi-final.

Stepanek eliminated world number one Federer in Ferguson positive about Roma test ...
Tennis: Murray beats Federer ... this clay-court tune-up for the French Open, which begins on 25 May.

But Wawrinka will be aiming to repeat the success of Spain's Felix Mantilla, who defeated Federer in the 2003 final to become the only unseeded Rome champion of the Open era.

(BBC)

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