Barty in injury scare as Nadal gains Zverev revenge
ROME: World number one Ashleigh Barty retired from the rain-hit Italian Open on Friday with an arm injury just two weeks before the start of Roland Garros as Rafael Nadal reached the semi-finals of a Masters event for the 75th time.
Barty was forced to pull out while leading 6-4, 2-1 in her quarter-final match against American Coco Gauff after a recurring right arm issue flared up.
Barty conceded she had not wanted to take any risks ahead of the French Open in two weeks time where she won in 2019.
“The conditions were brutal, coming on and off,” she said of the rain at the Foro Italico.
“It’s disappointing, but it’s important that I listen to my body and give it time to rest and recover and make sure that in a couple weeks’ time we’re 100 per cent fit for Roland Garros.”
World number one Novak Djokovic’s quarter-final match against Stefanos Tsitsipas was pushed back until Saturday after play was suspended because of rain, with the Greek fifth seed leading 6-4, 2-1.
Before the downpour, ninetime winner Nadal dispatched his Madrid Masters slayer Alexander Zverev 6-3, 64 to set up a meeting with American Reilly Opelka for a place in his 11th Rome final.
Second-seed Nadal had lost to Zverev, seeded six, in the Madrid last-eight last week, but ended his three-match losing streak against the German.
“It’s a great victory for me,” said Nadal after early exits in both Madrid and Monte Carlo.
The 34-year-old powered to 4-0 before Zverev held serve with the 20-time Grand Slam winner saving break point to take the first set.
The German rallied in the second set but Nadal saved eight break points to seal victory on his first match point after two hours.
“It’s important because under pressure, under tough moments sometimes I lost important points the last couple of weeks.
“Today, yesterday, before yesterday too, I was able to manage it well.
“To be able to be on court against a player like Sascha, he had tough match too (yesterday), but he’s more than 10 years younger than me.
“I was able to be fit, to be ready, that gives me confidence.” — AFP