ROME: Defending champion Rafael Nadal swept past fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco to book his place in the semifinals of the Italian Open on Friday.
The eight-time Rome champion came through 6-4, 6-0 in 1hr 38min to set up a clash with Greek eighth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the final.
The 32-year-old Nadal, seeded second, is bidding for his first clay-court title this season before chasing a 12th French Open crown at Roland Garros starting on May 26.
Also on Friday, Roger Federer and top-ranked Naomi Osaka withdrew before their Italian Open quarterfinals because of injuries.
Federer reported a right leg injury ahead of his match against Tsitsipas, while Osaka said her right hand was injured before she was to play Kiki Bertens.
Federer and Osaka both won two matches on Thursday after play was backed up due to rain a day earlier.
While Osaka won both of her matches in straight sets, the 37-year-old Federer had to labor for more than 2.5 hours to overcome Borna Coric in his second time on court.
“I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete today. I am not 100 percent physically and, after consultation with my team, it was determined that I not play,” Federer said. “Rome has always been one of my favorite cities to visit and I hope to be back next year.”
It is only the fourth time in Federer’s career he has had a walkover loss, the ATP Tour said, adding the 20-time Grand Slam champion has never retired in 1,465 matches.
Federer was not originally planning to play in Rome but he changed his schedule last week, saying he would rather play matches than practice ahead of the French Open, which starts in nine days.Tsitsipas and Bertens advanced to the semifinals via walkover.
Osaka could not immediately say how serious the injury was, or if it will affect her status for Roland Garros.
She was yet to see a doctor but when she held her hand up for reporters to see it was clearly swollen.
“I woke up this morning and couldn’t really move my thumb,” Osaka said. “I tried to practice and grip my racket but I couldn’t, and I kept feeling this pain when I tried to move my hand in different directions.”
Osaka’s win on Thursday guaranteed that she will remain No. 1 going into the French Open.
“I didn’t feel anything yesterday. That’s why I’m kind of confused right now, because I literally woke up in the morning and couldn’t move my thumb,” Osaka said. “So I was like, ‘Maybe I slept on it and maybe it will go away.’ But it didn’t.”
Bertens, who won the Madrid Open last week, will face Marketa Vondrousova or Johanna Konta for a spot in the final.
Osaka also withdrew before a semifinal in Stuttgart, Germany, last month due to an abdominal injury. And she retired from her previous meeting with Bertens at last year’s WTA Finals with a leg injury.
“I feel like the ab thing could have been helped, but this one I don’t think I could have helped it because I don’t know what caused it,” Osaka said. “I don’t know why I have it.”
Nadal sweeps into Rome semifinals
Nadal sweeps into Rome semifinals
- Federer and Osaka withdraw from quarters with injuries
Nemkov and Cyborg crowned PFL world champions in Lyon
- Rising stars of MMA on show at landmark event that highlights sport’s global ambitions
- Brazilian veteran Cyborg cements status as one of the greatest fighters in women’s MMA history
LYON: Two new Professional Fighters League world champions were crowned on Saturday night as Vadim Nemkov and Cris Cyborg headlined a landmark PFL Lyon event at the LDLC Arena, which also saw the emergence of Europe’s next wave of MMA talent.
Russia’s Nemkov closed out his 2025 campaign in emphatic fashion, becoming the inaugural PFL Heavyweight World Champion with a first-round submission victory over Brazil’s Renan Ferreira. Nemkov (20-2) secured an arm-triangle choke at the four-minute mark of the opening round, neutralizing the size and power of the Brazilian to firmly establish himself at the top of the heavyweight division heading into 2026.
In the co-main event, Cyborg added another accolade to her decorated career by capturing the PFL Women’s Featherweight World Championship. The Brazilian veteran (29-2, 1 NC) defeated previously unbeaten Sara Collins (6-1) via rear-naked choke in the third round, further cementing her status as one of the greatest fighters in women’s MMA history. Cyborg later indicated that she intends to have one final MMA bout before calling time on her career.
The Lyon crowd was treated to a series of standout performances beyond the title fights. Belgian prospect Patrick Habirora continued his rapid rise with a first-round knockout of Kevin Jousset, preserving his perfect professional record at 8-0. Habirora’s explosive finish sent the arena into celebration and underlined his growing reputation as one of Europe’s most promising young fighters.
France’s Taylor Lapilus delivered a composed and technically polished display to earn a unanimous decision victory over England’s Liam Gittins. Lapilus (23-4) controlled the contest over three rounds, reinforcing his credentials as a leading contender in the PFL bantamweight division.
Two PFL Europe titles were also decided on the night. Aleksandr Chizov claimed the 2025 PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament Championship after stopping Connor Hughes with a third-round knockout, capping a consistent campaign marked by resilience and adaptability. Meanwhile, French bantamweight Baris Adiguzel captured the 2025 PFL Europe Bantamweight Tournament Championship with a first-round TKO victory over Dean Garnett, imposing his aggressive style from the opening bell.
With four champions crowned and several rising stars making statements on a major stage, PFL Lyon marked a significant moment for the organization’s global and European ambitions.
Full results:
Vadim Nemkov def. Renan Ferreira by first-round submission (arm-triangle choke, 4:00)
Cris Cyborg def. Sara Collins by third-round submission (rear-naked choke, 2:55)
Patrick Habirora def. Kevin Jousset by first-round KO (2:42)
Taylor Lapilus def. Liam Gittins by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Baris Adiguzel def. Dean Garnett by first-round TKO (0:44)
Boris Atangana def. Guilherme Soares by second-round submission (rear-naked choke, 2:35)
Aleksandr Chizov def. Connor Hughes by third-round KO (0:50)
Gustavo Oliveira def. Movsar Ibragimov by second-round KO (0:34)
Sabrina de Sousa def. Paulina Wisniewska by split decision
Rayan Balbali def. Levi Batchelor by split decision
