Carlos Alcaraz gained in straight units regardless of a powerful problem from Jack Draper to attain the Italian Open semifinals, and Coco Gauff prolonged her unbeaten streak towards Mirra Andreeva to additionally advance to the final 4 on the clay-court match Wednesday.
Alcaraz was made to work exhausting on his serve and saved six of the eight break factors he confronted on his manner to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Draper, who beat him earlier this yr.
The third-ranked Alcaraz, who withdrew from the Madrid match due to an higher proper leg drawback that bothered him through the Barcelona Open ultimate, moved properly on the courtroom, usually took to the online and used his trademark drop pictures and groundstrokes to the most effective impact.
The four-time Grand Slam champion, who additionally had a left leg harm, had misplaced to Draper of their most up-to-date assembly within the semifinals at Indian Wells, California, in March.
Alcaraz rallied from 2-4 to declare the primary set. A turning level then got here within the eighth sport of the second set, when Draped seemed like he might drive a decider. That sport lasted virtually 10 minutes and Alcaraz saved two break factors earlier than popping out on high. Alcaraz broke at love within the subsequent sport and sealed the match.
“The most important thing that I did today was not thinking about the shots at all,” Alcaraz stated. “Not fascinated by the truth that I used to be down, simply making an attempt to do the issues that make me comfortable. On courtroom I simply tried to be aggressive, play good pictures, drop pictures, go to the online. That’s what I like to do on the courtroom, and I believe that made the distinction right now.”
Alacaraz’s next opponent will be either defending champion Alexander Zverev or Lorenzo Musetti.
Gauff in control
In the women’s draw, Gauff played aggressively throughout to advance to the last four for the third time with a 6-4, 7-6 (5) win.
Both players hit high-quality shots in the tiebreaker, including Andreeva’s superb drop shot just behind the net from a tight angle that allowed her to level at 5-5 before Gauff won the last two points to seal the match.
Gauff has won all four of her matches against the 18-year-old Andreeva, having also beaten her at the French Open and U.S. Open in 2023, and two weeks ago in Madrid.
Gauff will next play the winner between No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen. Jasmine Paolini and Peyton Stearns face off in the other semifinal.
Rome is the last big warmup before the French Open starts on May 25.
Sinner meets the Pope
Also Wednesday, top-ranked Jannik Sinner visited the new Pope, gave him a tennis racket and offered to play, during an off day for Sinner. Leo XIV, the first American Pope, is an avid tennis player.
The Pope and Sinner posed for photos in front of the Davis Cup trophy that Sinner helped Italy win for the second consecutive time last year.
Sinner has a quarterfinal match Thursday in his first tournament back after a three-month ban for doping that was judged to be an accidental contamination. He will next face freshly-crowned Madrid champion Casper Ruud, who beat Jaume Munar 6-3, 6-4.
Published – May 15, 2025 03:31 am IST
