Italian Open LIVE: Darderi gets past Jodar after Svitolina downs Rybakina

[p][b]02:05 CET -[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/darderi-luciano/jeXTxMIp/"]Luciano Darderi[/a] is the last player to book his spot in the Italian Open semi-finals as he gets the better of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jodar-rafael/OdngshVK/"]Rafael Jodar[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/darderi-l-jeXTxMIp/jodar-r-OdngshVK/?mid=Wbl40tBT"]7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-0[/a]. The Italian was relentless on his opponent's serve, having 18 break point opportunities, converting five of them. Darderi's opponent in the semis will be Casper Ruud.[/p][embed guid="4f1fbae3-619c-4e49-967c-559116c11573" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2054715597695402071?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]23:52 CET - [/b]We have some remarkable drama in the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/darderi-l-jeXTxMIp/jodar-r-OdngshVK/?mid=Wbl40tBT"]late-night clash[/a] between young sensation [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jodar-rafael/OdngshVK/"]Rafael Jodar[/a] and home favourite [a href="https://www.flashscore.com/player/darderi-luciano/jeXTxMIp/"]Luciano Darderi[/a], with the match being suspended in the closing stages of the first set due to smoke caused by fireworks set off at the nearby Stadio Olimpico, where the Coppa Italia final was held tonight.[/p][p]Jodar leads 6-5 after 55 minutes.[/p][p][b]22:27 CET - [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monfils-elina/jyngIesG/"]Elena Svitolina[/a] is into the quarter-finals in the Italian capital, with the Ukrainian completing a comeback to beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Elena Rybakina[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/rybakina-e-UDzElXdm/svitolina-e-jyngIesG/?mid=jR7BVJdU"]2-6, 6-4, 6-4[/a].[/p][p]The final set was the tightest of them all, lasting 52 minutes. Svitolina went two breaks up before she then lost two service games in a row. However, she kept her cool to regroup and claim one of her biggest wins of the season.[/p][p]Next up for her is [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a].[/p][embed guid="c16ee2e5-42c1-4fb2-bf0f-3a984b2a14b7" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2054660335236170142" social-type="twitter" /][image alt="Svitolina vs Rybakina stats" id="8ae25e23-c76b-4bb6-aa56-a423bbf1d4cf" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="39587742-8040-4140-9c43-cbe3feb280f3" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b]21:35 CET [/b] Svitolina strikes back! The world number 10 broke serve for the first time tonight in the fifth game of the second set and went on to serve things out, saving five break points in the process.[/p][p]To a decider we go.[/p][p][b]20:37 CET - [/b]World number two [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Elena Rybakina[/a] has claimed the first set against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monfils-elina/jyngIesG/"]Elina Svitolina[/a], winning it [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/rybakina-e-UDzElXdm/svitolina-e-jyngIesG/?mid=jR7BVJdU"]6-2[/a].[/p][p]It's been a dominant display from the Kazakh thus far, with Svitolina having to defend 11 break points and not having a single one of her own. In fact, Rybakina has dropped just four points on her serve.[/p][embed guid="53572ffe-d556-489e-ba6f-9e5a259df2f3" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2054634753085575435" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]19:29 CET - [/b]Two-time former French Open finalist [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruud-casper/zN9UpRqp/"]Casper Ruud[/a] is through to the semi-finals in Rome after the Norwegian survived a second-set wobble to defeat 13th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/khachanov-karen/4bNPtZT5/"]Karen Khachanov[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/khachanov-k-4bNPtZT5/ruud-c-zN9UpRqp/?mid=KdxSZjQN"]6-1, 1-6, 6-2[/a].[/p][p]Ruud, who has won 12 career titles on clay, struck 30 winners across the three sets, while converting five of his 10 break-point opportunities.[/p][p]The 27-year-old will move back inside the top 20 as a result of his victory, facing either [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jodar-rafael/OdngshVK/"]Rafael Jodar[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/darderi-luciano/jeXTxMIp/"]Luciano Darderi[/a] for a place in the showpiece event.[/p][embed guid="307ee077-54fe-476d-99c2-b713fb64dfe7" url="https://x.com/OptaAce/status/2054613100439941273" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]18:24 CET -[/b] After a two-and-a-half-hour rain delay in Rome, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruud-casper/zN9UpRqp/"]Casper Ruud[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/khachanov-karen/4bNPtZT5/"]Karen Khachanov[/a] are finally back on court for their quarter-final clash.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/khachanov-k-4bNPtZT5/ruud-c-zN9UpRqp/?mid=KdxSZjQN"]Follow point-by-point coverage right here.[/a][/b][/p][p][b]16:10 CET - [/b]Ruud has made a flying start to his clash with Khachanov, but it has been halted by the elements, with rain suspending the match with the Norwegian player leading [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/khachanov-k-4bNPtZT5/ruud-c-zN9UpRqp/?mid=KdxSZjQN"]6-1, 0-1[/a].[/p][embed guid="605b4bd6-faa9-4263-9b0a-a59161a59aae" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2054561489978065166" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]14:23 CET -[/b] Wow, what a display from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a], who is starting to recapture her very best form just in time for Roland Garros at the end of the month.[/p][p]Having dismantled Naomi Osaka [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/osaka-n-MDM4BKiA/swiatek-i-jNyZsXZe/?mid=bcKU5pWj"]for the loss of just three games[/a] on Monday, the Pole was in imperious form once again this afternoon, thrashing fifth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Jessica Pegula[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/swiatek-i-jNyZsXZe/?mid=2qWFGaIc"]6-1, 6-2[/a] in just 68 minutes, to sail into the Rome semi-finals.[/p][p]Swiatek won 64% of points against her American opponent, not facing a single break point in the process, and will head into a last-four showdown with either [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Elena Rybakina[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monfils-elina/jyngIesG/"]Elina Svitolina[/a] full of confidence.[/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="ae411e34-e139-4eef-a08a-8cd72cacdf99" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="ff8696b2-9843-4763-9509-4164d561ed78" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b]13:00 CET - [/b]The day's action is about to begin, and it's beginning in style, with the world number three and world number five doing battle.[/p][p]Pegula has had the edge over Swiatek in recent times, winning their last two matches in straight sets, and she's also in better form than her opponent.[/p][p]That being said, the Pole still heads into this match as the favourite, with it being played on her favourite surface. She's won the only clash that the two have contested on clay, along with numerous major titles.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/swiatek-i-jNyZsXZe/?mid=2qWFGaIc"]Follow every point of Pegula vs Swiatek here.[/a][/b][/p][p][b]10:30 CET - [/b]Good morning and welcome back to our coverage of the Italian Open on what promises to be a thrilling Wednesday in the capital. [/p][p]Today's opening match sees three-time former champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a] take on fifth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Jessica Pegula[/a] in a heavyweight tussle at [b]13:00 CET[/b], as the Pole looks to continue her encouraging recent form under new coach Francisco Roig.[/p][p]Following that clash, the men’s quarter-finals get underway at around [b]15:00 CET[/b], with Norway's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruud-casper/zN9UpRqp/"]Casper Ruud[/a] targeting a return to the top 20 when he faces 13th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/khachanov-karen/4bNPtZT5/"]Karen Khachanov[/a].[/p][embed guid="875d3d2c-c422-4fe2-b202-660671da9d65" url="https://x.com/InteBNLdItalia/status/2054445284445311395" social-type="twitter" /][p]Later on, the final last-eight match on the women's side pits world number two and 2023 champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Elena Rybakina[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monfils-elina/jyngIesG/"]Elina Svitolina[/a], who won back-to-back Rome titles herself in 2017 and 2018.[/p][p]Finally, Spanish sensation [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jodar-rafael/OdngshVK/"]Rafael Jodar[/a] continues his breakthrough clay-court season against in-form Italian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/darderi-luciano/jeXTxMIp/"]Luciano Darderi[/a], with both men targeting a first Masters semi-final.[/p][p][b]Check out the full men’s draw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/atp-singles/rome/"]here[/a] and the full women’s draw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/wta-singles/rome/"]here[/a].[/b][/p]