Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (R) taps hands with Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas after winning their quarter final match of the Men’s Italian Open at Foro Italico on May 15, 2021 in Rome, Italy. Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP
World number one Novak Djokovic survived a three-set battle with Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas over two days in their rain-delayed quarter-finals to advance to the Italian Open semi-finals on Saturday.
The defending champion won through 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 after 3hr 16min on court in the clash which had been suspended from Friday because of rain in the Italian capital.
The Serb, a five-time Rome winner, had been trailing 6-4, 2-1 when the game was halted overnight.
Djokovic sealed the match on his second match point to set up a meeting with either Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev or Italian Lorenzo Sonego later in the day for a place in Sunday’s final.