Paul downs Hurkacz to make Rome semi-finals for second successive year

Tommy Paul saw off Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, the No 30 seed, 7-6 (4), 6-3 on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the Rome Masters for the second year in a row.

The American edged a topsy-turvy first set which saw six breaks of serve before pulling away in the second to claim victory and set up a clash with world No 1 Jannik Sinner or Casper Ruud of Norway.

He’s the first American since Pete Sampras over 30 years ago to make back to back semis in Rome.

“Honestly, we were both returning so well that I think that put pressure on each other’s service games,” Paul said of a roller-coaster of a first set.

“It’s not fun not serving out (he was broken at 6-5) but I thought I regrouped pretty well in the breaker and made a couple of good serves.”

Tiebreak proves crucial

Neither man could find much rhythm in the first set, with six breaks of serve. But when it got to the tiebreak it was Paul who was the more solid, taking it 7-4.

A break in the second game of the second was crucial as Paul marched ahead and he held the advantage through the set to claim his place in the lasr four.

Paul, ranked No 12, will play the winner of the match between Italian Jannik Sinner, the top seed, and Norwegian Casper Ruud, the No 6 seed, next.

Ahead of his victory, the American beat Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut (6-1, 6-4), No 19 seed Tomas Machac (6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-4) and Australian Alex de Minaur, the No 7 seed (7-5, 6-3).

Hurkacz, ranked No 31, defeated Spaniard Pedro Martinez Portero (6-1, 7-5), American Marcos Giron (6-3, 1-6, 6-1) and No 20 seed Jakub Mensik (7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (5)) in the previous rounds of the Italian Open.

Roma Masters 1000, other last 8 results (Foro Italico, clay, EUR 8.055.385, most recent results first):

• Jannik Sinner vs. Casper Ruud
• Lorenzo Musetti (8) beat Alexander Zverev (2): 7-6 (1), 6-4
• Carlos Alcaraz (3) beat Jack Draper (5): 6-4, 6-4