Nadal gets Djokovic
Rafael Nadal will meet Novak Djokovic in the Italian Open semifinals, and three-time Rome champion Maria Sharapova also reached the last four.
Nadal, with a record seven titles at Rome, beat Fabio Fognini 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Four-time winner Djokovic beat Kei Nishikori 2-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Nadal and Djokovic have played 50 times but not since more than a year ago, when Nadal won in the Madrid Open semifinals. Nadal can replace Roger Federer at No. 1 if he lifts the Rome trophy for the first time since 2013.
Sharapova eliminated Jelena Ostapenko, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-5, and defending champion Elina Svitolina beat Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4.
Svitolina will face Anett Kontaveit, who beat Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-1. Sharapova will face top-ranked Simona Halep, who beat Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-3.
Marc Leishman followed the best round of his PGA Tour career with a five-under 66 for a one-shot lead at the AT&T Byron Nelson in Dallas . ... Gene Sauers shot a fiveunder 67 to move into a first-place tie with Miguel Angel Jimenez in the second round of the Champions Regions Tradition . ... In Gee Chun shot a five-under 66 to take the lead in the second round of the LPGA’s Kingsmill Championship.
Matt Kenseth’s return to racing already is paying dividends for Roush Fenway Racing after he grabbed the pole for Saturday night’s NASCAR All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway . ... Johnny Sauter raced to his third Truck Series victory of the season. ... Courtney Force topped funny car qualifying and Steve Torrence led top fuel in the NHRA Heartland Nationals in Topeka, Kan.
The Oakland Raiders signed first-round draft pick Kolton Miller of UCLA to a rookie contract . ... Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory is seeking reinstatement to the NFL after missing 2017 over violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy, the Associated Press reports.
The Rose Bowl and Banc of California Stadium are among 15 venues for next year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Diana Taurasi scored 26 points and became the first WNBA player with 1,000 threes, helping the host Phoenix Mercury beat the Dallas Wings 86-78 in the season opener.
USA Gymnastics parted ways with senior vice president Rhonda Faehn, who came under fire from victims of Larry Nassar.
Egan Bernal won the sixth stage of the Tour of California in the mountains around Lake Tahoe and overcame Tejay van Garderen’s lead in the overall standings heading into Saturday’s final stage. Katie Hall won the second stage of the women’s race, giving the American the overall lead with one stage left in Sacramento.