Nadal tames Djokovic to make final
Defending champion Svitolina puts up a clinical show in semis
Rafael Nadal was challenged in the first set by Novak Djokovic before pulling away for a 7-6 (4), 6-3 win to reach the Italian Open final yesterday.
In their 51st meeting but first in more than a year, Nadal’s court coverage eventually proved too much to handle for Djokovic, who is still regaining his form from a persistent right elbow injury.
Nadal’s opponent in Sunday’s final will be defending champion Alexander Zverev or Australian Open runner-up Marin Cilic.
Earlier, efending champion Elina Svitolina reached the final after putting in a clinical performance to beat unseeded Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-4 6-3.
The Ukrainian fourth seed bided her time and struck at key moments in the match in a display that bodes well for her chances at the French Open later this month.
Aiming for the third successful title defense in her career, Svitolina will face top-ranked Simona Halep or three-time Rome champion Maria Sharapova.
This is the last major warmup before the French Open starts next weekend.
The 22-year-old Kontaveit offered stiff resistance, hitting 24 winners to Svitolina’s 18, but her opponent converted four of her five break point opportunities while making seven fewer unforced errors in a contest of tight margins.
Svitolina beat former world number one Angelique Kerber in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Juan Martin del Porto has suffered a groin strain and is a doubt for the French Open, the Argentine world number six said on Friday, AFP adds from Buenos Aires.
Del Porto was forced to pull out of the Italian Open on Thursday after feeling a pain in his left groin. At the time, the 2009 US Open champion was 2-6 5-4 down in his last 16 encounter to Belgian David Goffin.