Tennis

Aryna Sabalenka Cruises into Italian Open Semifinals with Dominant VictoryROME, Italy - Aryna Sabalenka displayed remarkable resilience on Wednesday, overcoming a recent marathon match to effortlessly defeat Jelena Ostapenko and advance to the semifinals of the Italian Open.Despite battling a back issue that required treatment during her previous three-set encounter, the second-seeded Sabalenka showcased no signs of discomfort. She dispatched Ostapenko in a mere 73 minutes, securing a 6-2, 6-4 victory.Sabalenka's dominance was evident throughout the match. She denied Ostapenko any break opportunities and sealed the victory with an ace on match point. The Belarusian star attributed her impressive performance to her recovery efforts."I didn't even practice yesterday," Sabalenka revealed. "I focused on treatment and recovery, and it clearly paid off. This was definitely my best performance of the tournament."Sabalenka's victory sets up a semifinal clash with the winner of the match between Victoria Azarenka and Danielle Collins. The top three women in the world have all reached the final four in Rome, with Iga Swiatek facing Coco Gauff in the other semifinal.Sabalenka's resurgence after her previous marathon match highlights her determination and resilience. She remains a formidable contender for the Italian Open title and will be eager to continue her impressive run in Rome.

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek continues her dominant run on clay, reaching the quarterfinals of the Italian Open after defeating Angelique Kerber. Swiatek, who won the Madrid Open last week, is aiming to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013 to win the "dirt double."Swiatek's victory over Kerber was hard-fought, with the Polish player needing eight set points to secure the opener. However, she faced no such difficulties in the second set, sealing a 7-5, 6-3 victory. Swiatek will next face Madison Keys, who defeated Sorana Cirstea in a match interrupted by an environmental protest.Keys' match was temporarily suspended after two protesters jumped onto the court and threw confetti, while others glued themselves to the stands. The players returned to the locker room, and the protesters were removed by security.Other American players also advanced to the quarterfinals, with third-seeded Coco Gauff rallying to beat Paula Badosa and Danielle Collins easing past Irina-Camelia Begu. Second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka fought back from a set down to defeat Elina Svitolina in a match that finished well after midnight.In the men's tournament, defending champion Daniil Medvedev survived a scare against Serbian qualifier Hamad Medjedovic. Medvedev will face Tommy Paul in the round of 16, while Madrid finalists Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliassime were eliminated.Other notable winners in the men's draw include Hubert Hurkacz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Sebastian Baez, and Nicolas Jarry.

Tennis Protests Escalate: Confetti-Scattering Incidents Disrupt Italian OpenTennis has once again been marred by protests, with multiple incidents occurring at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome on Monday. Protestors wearing orange vests stormed courts and scattered confetti on the clay, causing delays and disruptions to matches.In the fourth-round match between Madison Keys and Sorana Cirstea, a protestor ran onto the court with bags of confetti and proceeded to scatter them before being removed by security guards. Play was suspended while the court was cleaned.A similar incident occurred moments later on Court 12 during a men's doubles match between Édouard Roger-Vasselin and Santiago González against Marcelo Arévalo and Mate Pavić. Pavić confronted one of the two protestors, who also scattered confetti, leading to another suspension of play.These incidents follow a growing trend of protests during tennis matches in recent years. Notably, during the US Open semifinal between Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova, an environmental activist glued his feet to the Arthur Ashe Stadium stands, causing a 50-minute delay.At Wimbledon, puzzle pieces were scattered across the court during a first-round match between Grigor Dimitrov and Sho Shimabukuro, and later in a women's singles match between Katie Boulter and Daria Saville.The reasons behind these protests vary, but they often involve environmental or social justice issues. The protestors aim to raise awareness and disrupt the smooth running of events to draw attention to their causes.While the right to protest is important, the disruption of sporting events can be frustrating for players, fans, and organizers. Tennis authorities are faced with the challenge of balancing the need for security and the right to free expression.

Taylor Fritz, known as "Claylor" for his unexpected success on clay, has reached the third round of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. Despite being an American who didn't play on red clay until he was 16, Fritz has excelled on the surface, reaching the final in Munich and the semifinals in Madrid.Fritz attributes his success to his forehand, which he believes is well-suited for clay. He has also improved his movement and tactics on the surface. While he acknowledges that he may never be the best clay-court player, he is determined to prove that he can be competitive.Another American, Sebastian Korda, has also found success on clay. Korda, who spent his childhood playing on clay in Europe, has won an ATP title on the surface and reached the fourth round of the French Open. He recently won a Masters 1000 doubles title in Madrid.Korda and Fritz will face off in the third round of the Italian Open. Despite Fritz's recent success on clay, Korda holds a 1-0 head-to-head advantage. However, Fritz believes he has the edge on clay and is looking forward to the challenge.The match between Fritz and Korda promises to be a competitive battle between two of the most promising American clay-court players. The winner will be a serious contender for a deep run in the tournament.

Jannik Sinner Withdraws from Italian Open Due to Hip Injury, Joining Carlos Alcaraz on SidelinesROME, Italy - The Italian Open has suffered a major blow with the withdrawal of second-ranked Jannik Sinner due to a hip injury. The news comes just a day after third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz also pulled out of the tournament with a right forearm injury.Sinner's absence is a significant loss for the tournament, as he is one of Italy's most promising tennis players and a fan favorite. The 22-year-old made history in January by becoming the first Italian man to win a Grand Slam singles title in nearly half a century at the Australian Open.In a statement on social media, Sinner expressed his disappointment at having to withdraw from the Italian Open. "It's not easy to write this message," he wrote. "After talking with doctors and specialists again about my hip problems, I have to announce that unfortunately I can't play in Rome."Sinner also withdrew from his quarterfinal match against Felix Auger-Aliassime in Madrid this week due to the same hip injury. Auger-Aliassime went on to reach the final, where he will face No. 7 seed Andrey Rublev on Sunday.The Italian Open is one of the most prestigious clay-court tournaments on the ATP Tour and is considered a warm-up event for the French Open. Sinner's withdrawal leaves a void in the field, but it also opens up opportunities for other players to make a mark.

World number three Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Italian Open due to a persistent arm injury, the Spaniard announced on May 3. The 20-year-old had been struggling with the problem since a practice session in Monaco and was forced to miss the Madrid Open as a result.Alcaraz's withdrawal from Rome is a major blow to his hopes of winning three straight Madrid Open titles. He had successfully defended his Indian Wells title in March and reached the Miami Open quarter-finals before the injury struck.The Spaniard's absence from the Italian Open opens the door for other players to challenge for the title. Defending champion Novak Djokovic is the top seed, while Rafael Nadal, Alexander Zverev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas are also among the favorites.Alcaraz's injury is a reminder of the physical demands of the tennis season. The Spaniard has played a grueling schedule in recent months, and his body is now paying the price. It remains to be seen how long Alcaraz will be out of action, but he is expected to miss at least the next few weeks.The Italian Open is an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour Masters 1000 event, and it is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the clay-court calendar. The tournament is held in Rome, Italy, and it attracts the world's best players.Alcaraz's withdrawal from the Italian Open is a disappointment for fans, but it is also a reminder of the importance of player health. The Spaniard is still young, and he has a long career ahead of him. It is important for him to take the time to recover from his injury and come back stronger than ever.