Alcaraz to clash with Musetti, Sabalenka crashes

Carlos Alcaraz set up a semifinal meeting with Lorenzo Musetti at the Italian Open on Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Jack Draper in the last eight, while women’s world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out.

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Madrid Open winner Sabalenka was sent packing in the quarter-finals by Chinese eighth-seed Zheng Qinwen 6-4, 6-3.

Third seed Alcaraz, meanwhile, produced what he called one of his best displays of the season to book a last four date with the man he beat in Monte Carlo last month.

The Spaniard’s impressive win over Draper kept alive his chances of a third title of the season and also moved him up to number two in the world rankings behind Jannik Sinner.

"I lost focus a little bit in the second set but it wasn’t [for] too long, so it was pretty good,” said the four-time Grand Slam winner in search of a first Rome crown.

“Probably it was one of the most complete matches that I played this year.”

Alcaraz had to be at his best to down fifth seed Draper, who put in another strong showing on clay in Italy after losing the Madrid Open final to Casper Ruud.

The Briton lost control of the first set when, after taking a two-game lead, he was broken twice by Alcaraz who then took the lead in the match.

And Alcaraz made sure of victory by breaking Draper to love to go 5-4 ahead in the second set before serving out the match.