Serena Williams withdraws from Italian open with back injury

The men’s semifinals feature five-time Rome champion Rafael Nadal against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer and top-ranked Novak Djokovic vs. Roger Federer.

Several other players are also nursing injuries.

Fourth-ranked Andy Murray skipped last week’s Madrid Open with a back problem and said it was still affecting him after a three-set loss to Richard Gasquet in the third round this week.

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was bothered by an abdominal injury in a three-set loss to Kerber in the quarterfinals. And Italy’s Flavia Pennetta retired with a right wrist injury while trailing Williams 4-0 in the first set Friday.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press

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