Champion Alexander Zverev and world number one Aryna Sabalenka fell by the wayside in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Wednesday, while Carlos Alcaraz beat Briton’s Jack Draper 6-4 6-4 to reach the last four for the first time at the claycourt event.
Women’s world number one Sabalenka was toppled 6-4 6-3 by Zheng Qinwen, while Zverev’s title defence ended in a 7-6(1) 6-4 defeat by Italian hero Lorenzo Musetti.
Chinese eighth seed Zheng will next face Coco Gauff for a place in the final.
Cheered on by a roaring home crowd, Musetti stifled Zverev from the baseline.
“It was a great advantage all this week, the support from the crowd,” he said in an on-court interview.
“It was part of the strategy to make things complicated for Sasha (Zverev). He’s such a good hitter but he’s a little far behind the baseline.”
Musetti will next face third seed Alcaraz.
Four-times Grand Slam champion Alcaraz, who is gearing up to defend the French Open title later this month, fired off 24 winners in a strong performance to seal victory.
“The most important thing that I did today was not thinking about the results at all. Not thinking about if I was up, if I was down. Just trying to do the things that make me happy,” Alcaraz said.
“I didn’t let him dominate or stay long in the rallies. So I think that was a really good weapon today for me. I’m just really proud about the way that I approached the match.”
Norwegian Casper Ruud beat Jaume Munar 6-3 6-4 to set up a quarter-final meeting with world number one Jannik Sinner.
GAUFF BEATS ANDREEVA
In the women’s singles, it was seventh time lucky for Zheng as she finally beat Sabalenka after losing all six of their previous encounters.
Sabalenka’s frustration spilled over as she shouted an obscenity at a spectator, earning a code violation.
Zheng fired four aces en route to sealing a showdown with Gauff.
“I don’t know why I just play good in Italy. Thanks to the fans who came to support me here. Grazie,” Zheng said.
World number three Gauff quelled the challenge of seventh seed Mirra Andreeva with a 6-4 7-6(5) victory to enter the semi-finals for a second successive year.
Gauff has dropped just one set in her five matches at the tournament so far.
“At the end, my defence, it was tough. We were both tight in the tiebreaker, it was whoever could make the last ball,” said Gauff, who has reached the semi-finals in Rome three times.
Gauff came into the clash with a 3-0 head-to-head lead over Andreeva and there were no early signs that things would be any different this time, with the American dominating proceedings in the first set.
Gauff had a tougher time in the second set as Andreeva regained her focus and broke for a 3-2 lead, but the American, a relative veteran at 21 compared to her 18-year-old opponent, used the variety in her game to keep herself alive and force a tiebreaker.
The teenager struggled to match Gauff’s level in the tiebreaker and hit a backhand long to surrender the contest.
