Alcaraz cruises past Draper to reach Italian Open semi-finals

Carlos Alcaraz continued his strong clay-court campaign with a commanding 6-4, 6-4 win over Jack Draper on Wednesday, securing a place in the Italian Open semi-finals and moving up to World No. 2 in the ATP rankings — just behind Jannik Sinner.

The third seed delivered what he described as "one of the most complete matches" of his season, keeping his hopes alive for a third ATP title in 2025 and a maiden triumph at the Rome Masters.

Focused and Fluent: Alcaraz steps up

Alcaraz started strong, shaking off an early two-game deficit in the opening set by breaking Draper twice. The 21-year-old maintained control with clutch shot-making and mental composure, especially during a grueling 10-minute eighth game in the second set where he saved two crucial break points.

The Spaniard immediately broke Draper to love to go 5-4 up, then coolly served out the match, continuing his smooth path toward Roland Garros, where he will now be a top-two seed.

“I think I started pretty well and I ended the match pretty well as well,” said the four-time Grand Slam champion. “Probably it was one of the most complete matches that I played this year.”

Alcaraz now awaits a semi-final showdown with Lorenzo Musetti, who shocked defending champion Alexander Zverev later in the day.

Draper fights, but falls short

Fifth seed Jack Draper, fresh off his impressive Madrid Open final run, showed promise early but couldn’t maintain the momentum. Despite showcasing strong clay-court adaptability, he was outplayed in the key moments by the Spanish sensation.

Sinner awaits Ruud in the other Semi

Meanwhile, Casper Ruud’s quest for a Madrid-Rome double sees him face a formidable challenge in Jannik Sinner, who defeated Jaume Munar 6-3, 6-4. The sixth seed is wary of the world No. 1’s form.

“Tomorrow will be one of the toughest matches of the year, probably,” Ruud admitted. “He’s been looking good since the first match.”

Italian Open Semi-Final Line-Up (Men’s Singles)
Carlos Alcaraz vs Lorenzo Musetti
Jannik Sinner vs Casper Ruud

SportsLigue