The China Mail - Musetti battles Medvedev and match-point rain delay to reach Rome quarters

World number nine Musetti will will face either reigning Rome champion Alexander Zverev or France's Arthur Fils in the last eight after seeing off 2023 winner Medvedev 7-5, 6-4.

But he had a nervy wait to seal his passage into the quarters at his home tournament after the heavens suddenly opened over the Foro Italico site just as the Italian was serving for the match.

Officials decided to stop play as a violent storm battered the clay courts and made it impossible to continue, even with potentially only one point left.

But Musetti held his nerve to win on the first point and made sure that his first week in the top 10 of the world rankings would bring another solid run in a big tournament after reaching the final in Monte Carlo and the last four in Madrid.

Musetti's compatriot Jasmine Paolini was playing on centre court at the same time as the first part of Musetti's match but managed to complete her comeback from a set down to beat Diana Shnaider 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 6-2 just before the worst of the weather hit.

Paolini is the first Italian woman to reach the Rome semi-finals since 2014, when her doubles partner Sara Errani got to the final only to be soundly beaten by Serena Williams.

Sixth seed Paolini will line up against either Elina Svitolina or Peyton Stearns who play the second of two women's quarter-finals later on Tuesday.

The rain also meant Jannik Sinner had to wait for the first true test of his pre-Roland Garros form against Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo, by whom the Italian was knocked out in the last 16 the last time he played here, in 2023.

- Alcaraz through -

Earlier Carlos Alcaraz reached the quarter-finals after battling past Karen Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to continue his bid for a first Rome title.

Third seed Alcaraz had never lost a set in his previous four meetings with Russia's Khachanov but was forced to fight on the Foro Italico centre court.

Alcaraz needs to get to the Rome semis not just for a chance at his third title of the season but also to secure a top-two seeding at the French Open which begins later this month.

The Spaniard took his 12th clay-court win of the year to set up a clash in the last eight with fifth seed Jack Draper, a winner over France's Corentin Moutet.

"It was tiring. You know the match was really tough. I had to run. I had to run a lot," said Alcaraz.

"I didn't play well. I just fought and I'm just really happy about it."

Alcaraz seemed set to cruise through when he rattled off six games in a row to win the first set and the first game of the second.

Khachanov's fate looked sealed when his serve was broken in game five of the second set, but the big hitter had other ideas and immediately broke back before claiming the set.

And the 28-year-old showed incredible spirit to win three games on the bounce to level the third set at 4-4, just as Alcaraz look certain to win.

But Alcaraz would not be denied and took an entertaining match at the second time of asking.

A.Sun--ThChM