Djokovic, Tsitsipas made to wait in rain-hit Rome

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Novak Djokovic plays a return to Stefanos Tsitsipas. (AFP)
Novak Djokovic plays a return to Stefanos Tsitsipas. (AFP)

Rome - The match was first halted for 3 hours 30 minutes with the fifth seed leading 4-3 before heavy rain hit the Italian capital

By AFP/Reuters

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Published: Fri 14 May 2021, 11:49 PM

Last updated: Sat 15 May 2021, 12:04 AM

World number one Novak Djokovic’s quarterfinal match against Stefanos Tsitsipas has been pushed back until Saturday after play was suspended because of rain on Friday.

Monte Carlo winner Tsitsipas was leading defending champion 6-4, 2-1 when the match was interrupted for a second time at the Foro Italico.


The match was first halted for 3 hours 30 minutes with the fifth seed leading 4-3 before heavy rain hit the Italian capital.

Play resumed at 16:45 GMT, enough time for Tsitsipas to close out the first set before being called off again half an hour.


Organisers later suspended play for the night, with the pair having been on court for a total of 64 minutes throughout the day.

It was Djokovic’s second rain delay of the tournament. His second round match against American Taylor Fritz was suspended for three hours earlier this week.

Barty injured

World number one Ash Barty was forced to retire from her Italian Open quarterfinal against Coco Gauff with an arm injury, raising doubts on her participation at the French Open.

Barty, the 2019 French Open winner, was leading 6-4 2-1 against her American opponent when she called a physio and had her right-arm strapped with a compression sleeve.

The Australian eventually decided against continuing the match in wet conditions in Rome, allowing Gauff to book a place in the final four.

After the match, Barty revealed she was struggling to serve “anywhere near 100%” as heavy conditions aggravated her muscular problem during the match.


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