Struggling Federer beaten by Stepanek

ROME, Italy (AP) -- World number one Roger Federer has been beaten again, falling to 27th-ranked Radek Stepanek 7-6 7-6 in the Rome Masters quarterfinals on Friday.

Once seemingly invincible, Federer was losing for the sixth time this year, with the Swiss losing only nine matches in the whole of 2007.

Federer piled up a string of losses at the beginning of the year when he was diagnosed with mononucleosis.

Czech Stepanek will now face Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, who lost only one game to Spanish clay-court specialist Nicolas Almagro -- who retired with a wrist problem while trailing 6-1 1-0 -- for a place in Sunday's final.

In the other half of the draw, Federer's compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka rallied past eighth seed James Blake 6-7 7-6 6-1 to reach his second semifinal in two weeks.

Wawrinka faces sixth seed Andy Roddick in the other semifinal, after the American overcame 14th seed Tommy Robredo 6-3 4-6 7-6.

The Rome Masters is a vital clay-court warmup for the French Open, which begins on May 25 and Roland Garros is the only Grand Slam that Federer has not won. Federer has also never won the Rome title -- losing in the third round to Italian wild card Filippo Volandri last year.

Federer's elimination comes two days after three-time defending champion Rafael Nadal was beaten by Juan Carlos Ferrero. Nadal said he was not at his best because of a foot blister.

Federer had won four of his previous five meetings with Stepanek, but the pair are now 2-2 on clay. In the first set tiebreaker, the Czech took control with a volley to go up 6-4, then served an ace on his first set point.

Federer surrendered a 4-1 lead in the second-set tiebreaker, and Stepanek converted his second match point with a first serve that Federer could not return.

After his illness, Federer snapped back by winning the Estoril Open last month for his first title of 2008. He also reached the final of the Monte Carlo Masters in his last outing, losing to Nadal.

At one stretch in the first set, Federer won four straight service games without losing a point. Still, Stepanek kept up the pressure by serve-and-volleying and winning 25 of 41 points at the net. Stepanek also served eight aces to Federer's seven.

"Usually when I have a lead I don't let it go, so it's quite disappointing," Federer said. "I played so poorly on the big points but he's difficult to play.

"He's always changing his game up a lot. But I've played him in the past, so it wasn't a surprise. I just wish I played better."

Meanwhile, Blake was coming off three-setters in his opening two matches, and the American appeared to lose energy as his match with Wawrinka wore on.

Blake missed an easy volley to hand Wawrinka a break in the first game of the third set, and Wawrinka rolled from there. "It's my first Masters Series semifinal, so I'm very pleased," Wawrinka said.

Wawrinka called for a trainer to treat his lower back with a 6-5 lead in the second set, then again with a 2-1 lead in the third, but the problem did not appear to affect his play.

Wawrinka is ranked a career-high 24th this week after reaching the semifinals of the Barcelona Open last weekend, losing to David Ferrer.

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