Paul's physique takes him through to the semi-finals in Rome
We now know the name of the third qualifier for the semi-finals in Italy. After Alejandro Tabilo and Alexander Zverev qualified yesterday, it was Tommy Paul who earned his ticket on Thursday. Up against a much more friable Hubert Hurkacz than usual, the American came out on top after 2 hours 42 minutes (7-5, 3-6, 6-3).
In a match in which both men were very tense and the level of tennis was not always very high (85 unforced errors between them), it was finally the world number 16 who had the stronger nerves. Starting his match with great intensity and taking advantage of the Pole's errors, Paul managed, despite a few inconsistencies that could have cost him dear, to book his place in the semi-finals.
For his part, the world number 9 had a rather off day, particularly on his serve. Hurkacz, generally regarded as the best server on the planet, was very ineffective behind his serve. Having conceded his serve seven times, the Pole couldn't count on as many free points as usual and had to work much harder in the exchange. Visibly a little blunted physically, the 27-year-old finally cracked under the onslaught of a much fresher opponent.
For Tommy Paul, the victory was a precious one, confirming his new status. Semi-finalist at the Australian Open 2023, he confirmed his status this season with a second Masters 1000 semi-final, following on from the one he played in Indian Wells. Despite several dips in form, it was only logical that the American should emerge victorious from this duel.
For a place in the final, he will face the winner of the match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nicolas Jarry.
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