ROME: Carlos Alcaraz set up a semifinal meeting with Lorenzo Musetti at the Italian Open on Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Jack Draper in the last eight, while women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out.
Madrid Open winner Sabalenka was sent packing in the quarterfinals by Chinese eighth-seed Zheng Qinwen 6-4, 6-3.
Third seed Alcaraz, meanwhile, produced what he called one of his best displays of the season to book a last four date with the man he beat in Monte Carlo last month.
The Spaniard’s impressive win over Draper kept alive his chances of a third title of the season and also moved him up to No. 2 in the world rankings behind Jannik Sinner.
“I lost focus a little bit in the second set but it wasn’t (for) too long, so it was pretty good,” said the four-time Grand Slam winner in search of a first Rome crown.
“Probably it was one of the most complete matches that I played this year.”
Alcaraz had to be at his best to down fifth seed Draper, who put in another strong showing on clay in Italy after losing the Madrid Open final to Casper Ruud.
The Briton lost control of the first set when, after taking a two-game lead, he was broken twice by Alcaraz who then took the lead in the match.
And Alcaraz made sure of victory by breaking Draper to love to go 5-4 ahead in the second set before serving out the match.
The day’s final match saw current world No. 2 and defending champion Zverev lose his Rome crown in addition to his ranking as he went down to home hope Musetti 7-6 (7/1), 6-4.
After trading breaks earlier in the set, Zverev looked set to seal the opener after breaking Musetti at 5-5 and then leading on his next service game 40-0.
But the Italian improbably saved four set points to force a tiebreak, which he swept 7-1 in front of a raucous center court.
An angered Zverev argued with the umpire in the second set but kept his cool on the court up to 4-4.
The German had looked the more likely to make a breakthrough until the ninth game when a stunning backhand winner gave Musetti break point, which he duly converted before holding to 30 to reach his third semi of the year on clay.
“I felt the adrenaline and energy from the first point, even if it was not an easy start, but I managed to come back and find a way, and that’s the key of this match,” said Musetti.
Ruud’s attempt at a Madrid and Rome double has a Sinner-shaped obstacle in its way after the world No. 7 won his postponed match with Jaume Munar 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals where he will face the top seed on Thursday.
Sabalenka’s stunning clay-court form deserted her at the Foro Italico as she fell in straight sets to Olympic gold medalist Zheng.
It was seventh time lucky for the world No. 8 as she at last got the better of her Belarusian opponent with a confident display under the lights in Rome.
After surviving early pressure on her own serve, Zheng broke Sabalenka to take a 3-2 lead in the first set before serving out.
Zheng then pounced in Sabalenka’s first service game in the second frame to go up a break.
Sabalenka showed determination to make gritty holds in the fifth and seventh games of the set, but she could not make inroads on Zheng’s service as the 22-year-old powered into the semis.
“It’s been a long time I haven’t arrived in semifinals,” Zheng told Sky Sports after securing her first semifinal appearance of the season.
“It was not easy for me because at the beginning of the year I got some struggles with my arm.
“So right now I’m just perfectly in shape and trying to play better tennis all the time.”
Zheng will meet Coco Gauff in the last four after the American earlier beat Mirra Andreeva 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).
Gauff has guaranteed herself No. 2 in the women’s world rankings with her solid displays in Rome, where she saw off seventh seed Andreeva.
Former US Open winner Gauff said that she had “a lot of confidence” for the last four, where she will face an opponent against whom she holds a 2-0 record.
Gauff, 21, is looking for her first title of the season ahead of Roland Garros, after losing the Madrid final to Sabalenka.
