Tennis Legend Zverev Rallies to Reach Italian Open Final

In a thrilling semifinal match at the Italian Open in Rome, world No. 5 Alexander Zverev fought back from a slow start to defeat the unheralded Chilean player Alejandro Tabilo 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 and secure a spot in the tournament final.

Tabilo, the 32nd-ranked player, had no trouble overpowering Zverev in the opening set, unleashing a barrage of powerful forehands and perfectly placed drop shots that left the German struggling to find his rhythm. However, Zverev remained patient and eventually found his groove, taking the second-set tiebreaker before dominating the decider to advance.

“I was just hanging on the second set. I brought my energy up,” Zverev said after the match. “He hit me off the court in the first set and I didn’t play well at all, but he was a big reason why. He gave me no rhythm.”

In Sunday’s final, Zverev will face another Chilean, the 24th-ranked Nicolas Jarry, who reached his first ATP Masters Series final by rallying to defeat American Tommy Paul 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3. Jarry, a big-serving 6’7″ player, overcame a first-set deficit to eliminate world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals.

Zverev, the 2017 Italian Open champion, is seeking his second Rome title. He said his left pinkie finger, which he injured in a previous match, was still swollen and causing him discomfort, but he managed to play through the pain.

“I tore a capsule… But I didn’t break any bones,” Zverev explained. “The finger is still very, very big. It was manageable.”

The women’s final on Saturday will feature world No. 1 Iga Swiatek against No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka. The Italian Open serves as the last major clay-court event before the French Open, which begins on May 26.

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