Britain’s Johanna Konta fought back from a set down to seal victory on her fourth match point against Kiki Bertens to reach the final at the Italian Open on Saturday.
Konta, ranked 42, came through 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 against sixth seed Bertens, winner of the Madrid Open last week, after almost three hours on the red clay of Rome.
Dutchwoman Bertens had advanced to the semi-finals after world No 1 Naomi Osaka retired with a hand injury before their match on Friday. Konta next meets either Czech fourth seed Karolina Pliskova or Greek qualifier Maria Sakkari, who beat the British No 1 on clay in the final of the Moroccan Open earlier this month.
In the men’s semi-finals, world No 1 Novak Djokovic plays Argentine Diego Schwartzman after surviving two match points in a thrilling three-set tussle late into the night against Juan Martin del Potro on Friday.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal has not dropped a set yet with the eight-time winner setting up a rematch with rising star Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the final.
Tsitsipas stunned Nadal in last week’s Madrid Open semi-finals before falling to Djokovic, but lost to the Spaniard in the Australian Open semis earlier this year.
Tsitsipas advanced after Roger Federer – returning to clay after a two-year absence – retired with a right leg injury before their clash in the final warm-up before the French Open gets underway at Roland Garros next weekend.
