Djokovic books a final ticket in another colossal Roman battle

FOR the second match in succession, Novak Djokovic survived an Italian Open dogfight yesterday when beating big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 to reach the final.

Djokovic, who won a sizzling quarter-final against Spain’s David Ferrer, eventually got the upper hand on the powerful Raonic to book a final against either top seed Rafa Nadal or Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.

In the women’s event Sara Errani became the first Italian to reach the final in nearly 30 years after she saw off Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 7-5 in front of a passionate crowd at Rome’s Foro Italico.

‘The crowd was a motivation for me, they were unbelievable,’ said a delighted Errani.