Djokovic ends Auger-aliassime’s run

Top seed Novak Djokovic beat Canadian Felix Auger-aliassime 7-5, 7-6(1) to reach the semifinals of the Italian Open on Friday and move within one win of 1,000 career victories.

By reaching the semis in Rome, the Serb also retained his world No. 1 ranking and avoided surrendering top spot to Russian Daniil Medvedev for the second time this year.

Djokovic and Auger-aliassime were neck and neck until the Serb broke to lead 5-3 but the eighth seed fought back.

It proved only a blip, though, as Djokovic wrapped up the opening set in style.

The 21-year-old Aliassime was applauded by Djokovic for his display of endurance in rallies but again fell 5-3 behind, only to drag himself back into the contest again.

Having forced a tiebreak, Aliassime was no match for Djokovic, who found another gear.

Djokovic will next face Norwegian fifth seed Casper Ruud, who continued his good form on European clay as he claimed a hardfought 7-6(7), 7-5 win against Canada’s Denis Shapovalov.

“(Auger-aliassime) has the lethal serve, honestly... It was not easy for me at all to return. He’s also returning well, moving well. He’s a very complete player,” Djokovic told reporters.

World No. 3 Alexander Zverev remained on course to claim his first title of the season after besting Cristian Garin to set up a semifinal showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who saw off Jannik Sinner.

Zverev, who won the title in Rome in 2017, eased into the last four with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Garin in the pair’s first meeting since the Chilean upset him on home soil en route to winning the ATP 250 event in Munich three years ago.

Garin, the only unseeded player remaining, had the first break point of the match at 3-2 but Zverev squirmed his way out of it and broke his 25-year-old opponent to take a 4-3 lead and, after some poor shot selection, closed out a gritty opening set.

Zverev comfortably won the second set after Garin dropped serve in the opening game.

Tsitsipas kept his composure in front of a raucous crowd to hold off Sinner for a 7-6(5), 6-2 victory.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek extended her winning run to 26 matches with a 7-6(2), 6-0 victory over Canada’s Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Friday.

Swiatek, who has put together the longest winning run since Serena Williams racked up 27 straight victories in 2015, will face Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals in Rome.