IMAGE: Chile’s Nicolas Jarry shakes hands with Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas after winning his quarter final match at the Italian Open in at Foro Italico in Rome on Thursday. Photograph: Claudia Greco/Reuters
Chilean 21st seed Nicolas Jarry fought back from a set down to beat world number eight Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 and reach the Italian Open semi-finals on Thursday.
Jarry, who fought off 11 of 13 break points faced in the match, will next play American 14th seed Tommy Paul on Friday in his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.
Another Chilean, Alejandro Tabilo will take on German third seed Alexander Zverev the other semi-final. Two Chileans will appear in the semi-finals of an ATP 1000 event for the first time since the format was introduced in 1990.
Jarry was tested in the opening set by Greece’s sixth seed but gained his momentum in the second.
The 28-year-old won five consecutive points at 3-3 as he bounced back from 0-40, before wrapping up the second set by winning nine of the final 11 points.
Jarry then broke Tsitsipas in the decider for a 5-4 lead to eventually cruise into the last four.
“Beating Stef on clay is a good achievement. Extremely happy for my fight today and how I played. How I maintained myself even down a set, down a break,” Jarry said.
“I just kept trying to find different ways to have chances on his serve. I knew I was playing good.
“I had to adjust some things on the backhand so he didn’t push me back. That’s why he played so good. I was able to do those two things… It was a good fight tonight. Hopefully tomorrow I can be stronger.”
Earlier on Thursday, Paul came through a marathon match to beat Polish seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 to book his spot in the semi-finals.
The American, who defeated defending champion Daniil Medvedev in the previous round, had yet to drop a set before the quarter-final, but Hurkacz managed to force the match into the decider before Paul came out on top.
It was a match which went back and forth with 13 breaks of serve overall. The pair exchanged breaks early in the opening set, with Paul breaking twice to lead 3-2. With Paul serving for the set, Hurkacz broke again to make it 5-5.
Paul broke back immediately and held serve to take the first set. The American made a strong start to the second, breaking in the first game, but Hurkacz came back, breaking twice to force a third set.
This time it was the Pole who took an early 2-0 lead, but they again exchanged breaks of serve to make it 3-3 before Paul made the decisive break to go 5-3 up, and then saved six break points to wrap up victory.
Swiatek downs Gauff to meet Sabalenka in Italian Open final
IMAGE: Poland’s Iga Swiatek celebrates winning her Italian Open semi-final match against Coco Gauff of the US on Thursday. Photograph: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
World number one Iga Swiatek marched into her third Italian Open final as she beat American third seed Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-3 in the first semi-final on Thursday.
The Pole will face Aryna Sabalenka in the Rome showdown on Saturday after the world number two beat American 13th seed Danielle Collins 7-5, 6-2.
This will be the fifth time Sabalenka and Swiatek meet in a final, all of which have been on clay.
Gauff saved two early break points in the first game and then broke Swiatek in the second for a 2-0 lead.
However, the Pole hit back and then broke the U.S. Open champion at 4-4 before holding to take the first set 6-4 with a clinical backhand winner.
The second set went with serve until Swiatek broke the 20-year-old to lead 3-2 and eventually booked her spot in the final where she will bid for a third Italian Open title in four years.
Following her 11th straight win on clay, Swiatek could become only the third player in history to win the Madrid-Rome double after Dinara Safina in 2009 and Serena Williams in 2013.
After Sabalenka setting up a rematch of Madrid Open final, the Belarusian was looking forward to another duel with Swiatek.
“I really like our tough battles. It’s always close matches,” Sabalenka said when asked about facing Swiatek.
“I really enjoy playing against her. It’s always high level tennis. Hopefully we bring our best tennis and you guys enjoy watching us play. And hopefully this time I’m going to get this title with your support.”
The Belarusian raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set against Collins before the American broke back to draw level.
Sabalenka, however, eventually took the set and eased to victory, never facing a break point in the second set.
