Stefanos Tsitsipas remains on course for a second consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title after recording a straight-sets semi-final win over Alexander Zverev.

The third seed, who defeated Andrey Rublev to clinch the title in Monaco last year, produced a scintillating performance to beat the world number three 6-4 6-2 in Saturday's last-four encounter.

Tsitsipas will face world number 46 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Sunday's final, and the Greek said he will need to perform at an even higher level to defeat the 22-year-old, whose incredible run continued with a three-set win over Grigor Dimitrov in the final four.

"It was good," Tstispas told Amazon Prime Video of his semi-final win. "I don't know whether the long match [his three-set quarter-final win over Diego Schwartzman on Friday] gave me some rhythm, but I was able to play good tennis today. I'm happy with the level I was able to execute, and I came up with some good ideas on the court.

"I'm looking forward to the next one, I have a difficult opponent tomorrow, so I need to be ready and to take the best out of this one and move on.

"It's going to take a little bit more [to beat Davidovich Fokina], he's in a good rhythm. I've played him before, and he's a difficult opponent, I'm going to be as ready as possible, he's definitely improved and I'm going to have to produce the best tennis I can."

Davidovich Fokina, who has made headlines by eliminating Novak Djokovic and Indian Wells Masters champion Taylor Fritz during a thrilling run in the municipality, beat Dimitrov 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 earlier on Saturday, reaching his first ATP Tour final.

The unseeded Spaniard needed two hours and 43 minutes to wrap up his semi-final contest, and revealed that a bathroom break allowed him to reset his mind and clinch a hard-fought victory after he failed to serve out the second set at 5-4 up.

"I am so happy to be in the final, it's a dream come true to try to have the title," he said after the win.

"When I was a kid, I was dreaming about this day and it's come true, I'm so happy.

"In the second set I had my chances, I was so tight. But I went to the bathroom [after the second set] and I said to myself 'I want this'. Now I am in the final, I will enjoy, I have all the power with me."

Reigning Monte Carlo Masters champion Stefanos Tsitsipas will have to overcome Alexander Zverev if he is to have the chance to defend his title.

Zverev, who is ranked third in the world - two places higher than Tsitsipas - fought back to defeat Jannik Sinner 5-7 6-3 7-6 (7-5) in his quarter-final match, denying his opponent another top-five seed scalp following his prior win over Andrey Rublev.

"It means a lot, definitely, especially [with] how this year has been going so far for me," said Zverev after a gruelling three hours on court.

"I've lost long matches like that, so I’m happy I won this one."

Tsitsipas also orchestrated a superb turnaround against Diego Schwartzman, prevailing 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-4.

The Greek had looked set for a last-eight exit at four games down in the final set, only to stage a dramatic comeback to keep his hopes of a first title since last May's Lyon Open alive.

"There was a moment in the match where I felt what I was doing wasn't working," Tsitsipas said.

"He had a massive lead and momentum in what he was trying to do. I just tried to stay in the match as much as I could and that worked out very well.

"I wasn't expecting much at that point being a double break down, so I relaxed at that point."

Schwartzman meanwhile will rue his inability to put the tie to bed, having already reached two ATP finals this year.

Grigor Dimitrov and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will face off in the other semi-final.

Bulgarian Dimitrov beat off Hubert Hurkacz in another final-set tie-break, winning 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-2).

Fokina, who eliminated Novak Djokovic in the second round, turned over Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz in another comeback result, triumphing 2-6 6-4 6-3.

Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas progressed to the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters with straight sets wins on Thursday, remaining on course for a final meeting.

Last year's runner-up Andrey Rublev, however, missed out on a last-eight spot after falling to a three-set defeat against Jannik Sinner.

World number three Zverev overcame Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta 6-2 7-5 to progress in Monaco, where he is seeking to win the sixth ATP 1000 title of his career.

"For the second clay-court match of the season, I can't complain too much," the 24-year-old second seed said on court after sealing the victory.

"Yes, I lost focus a little bit in the second set, but at the end of the day, he's somebody that can really play. I'm happy with a two-set win."

Tsitsipas (3) remains in contention for a second consecutive title in the principality after defeating Laslo Dere 7-5 7-6 (7-1) and will face off against 12th seed Diego Schwartzman for a semi-final spot after the Argentine defeated Lorenzo Musetti in a hard-fought three-set encounter.

There will be no repeat of 2021's final between Tsitsipas and Rublev, however, after the Russian fell to a thrilling 5-7 6-1 6-3 loss to ninth seed Sinner in the day's final contest.

The other seed to fall victim to a shock in the last 16 was world number seven Casper Ruud, losing 6-3 7-5 to Grigor Dimitrov, who will face Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in the last eight. 

Finally, Novak Djokovic's conqueror Alejandro Davidovich Fokina cruised past David Goffin 6-4 6-1 to set up a quarter-final tie with the United States' Taylor Fritz, who bested compatriot Sebastian Korda – with whom he played doubles with in Monte Carlo – in straight sets.

Lorenzo Musetti headlined a day of shocks at the Monte Carlo Masters as Felix Auger-Aliassime fell to a first-round defeat.

Auger-Aliassime already has one singles title to his name this year, having prevailed in Rotterdam, and also reached the final of the Open 13 in Marseille and helped Canada to victory in the ATP Cup at the start of 2022.

However, the sixth seed entered this contest with just one win from his last four matches and came unstuck once again at the hands of Musetti. 

Musetti, who won two sets in the fourth round of the French Open against Novak Djokovic last year, is very much at home on the clay in Monaco.

He demonstrated that in 6-2 7-6 (7-2) success, setting up a last-16 meeting with Diego Schwartzman.

“I live here and practice here,” Musetti said in his on-court interview. "It is nice to be here and play here in front of such a crowd. I am really happy.

"My backhand down the line was a key to many of my great shots. After a really good first set, he came back with such powerful serving, but I was calm and patient and that was the most beautiful thing about today."

Auger-Aliassime's exit came a day after top seed Djokovic was knocked out in the second round by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, but there were no such problems for second seed Alexander Zverev as he saw off Federico Delbonis in straight sets.

Fifth seed Andrey Rublev came from a set down to defeat Alex de Minaur and fourth seed Casper Ruud, coming off his defeat in the final in Miami, edged qualifier Holger Rune in two tight sets.

The man who vanquished Ruud in Florida will go no further on the Cote d'Azur, however, Carlos Alcaraz losing in just over three hours to Sebastian Korda on his Monte Carlo debut.

Korda lost to Alcaraz in the final of last year's Next Gen ATP Finals, but avenged that defeat with a 7-6 (7-2) 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 victory.

World number 10 Cameron Norrie lost to Albert-Ramos Vinolas and his British compatriot Dan Evans fell to David Goffin, while 16th seed Lorenzo Sonego was beaten by the in-form Laslo Djere.

Elsewhere in the draw, there were wins for Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, Hubert Hurkacz and Pablo Carreno Busta.

World number one Novak Djokovic explained that he could just not get up to the level of sharpness required in his shock defeat at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Djokovic slumped out in the second round on Tuesday when he lost 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 to world number 46 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

The Serbian's status as an unvaccinated player has limited his ability to compete on the ATP Tour this year and he has played in just one tournament so far, getting to the quarter-finals in Dubai. 

Yet his preparations for the French Open, which starts at the end of next month, hardly got off to a good start as he made 51 unforced errors in what was still, despite his rustiness, a surprise defeat.

"I didn't like the way I felt physically in the third. I just ran out of the gas completely," Djokovic told the media. 

"Just couldn't really stay in the rally with him. I mean, if you can't stay in the rally, not feeling your legs on the clay, it's mission impossible.

"I'm going to look with my team into reasons why that was the case and go back to the drawing board. Hopefully next week will be better in Belgrade."

Though Djokovic has won twice in Monte Carlo, it has not been a happy hunting ground for him in recent years. He has not advanced past the quarter-final stage since 2015.

He added: "It's going to take some time for me to really feel my best on the clay.

"That's historically always been the case. [I have] never played very well in the opening tournaments of the clay season.

"But it's okay. Obviously it is what it is. I have to accept the defeat and keep working."

While unhappy with his own performance, Djokovic had nothing but praise for his opponent. 

"I would like to congratulate Alejandro. He was the better player," Djokovic said. "He managed to find a better rhythm I think in the first two sets. I was hanging on the ropes the entire match. I was really chasing the result constantly.

"I always believed that I could come back and win the match, and I stayed there even though a lot of things were against me in terms of how I felt on the court. Game-wise, physically I was just far from my best.

"I expected this match to be [a] really tough match, [a] physical battle, and that's what it was. Unfortunately I'm on the shorter end of the stick, and my week ends here."

Djokovic's defeat also means a mouthwatering contest with teenager sensation Carlos Alcaraz, who he might have met in the quarter-finals, will not be taking place.

Novak Djokovic suffered a stunning defeat in his first ATP Tour match since February, the world number one losing in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Djokovic's status as an unvaccinated player has limited his ability to compete on the tour this year. He missed the Australian Open in January after a saga surrounding his visa eventually resulted in his deportation on public health grounds, while laws around vaccination against COVID-19 in the United States prevented him from playing at Indian Wells and Miami.

Despite his inactivity, the Serbian - whose sole appearance on tour this year came during a run to the quarter-finals in Dubai - was expected to prevail on the clay against his Spanish opponent after receiving a bye in the first round.

But there were evident signs of rust in a mistake-riddled display against the world number 46, who remarkably emerged victorious to set up a meeting with either Dan Evans or David Goffin.

The tide looked to have turned in the second set tie-break, when an exquisite whipped forehand from Djokovic sent the match to a decider.

However, Djokovic, who committed 51 unforced errors, immediately surrendered the momentum by dropping serve in the first game of the third and he was broken twice more as Davidovich Fokina powered to a 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 victory in just under three hours.

"I knew that Nole hasn't had that confidence because he didn't play a lot," Davidovich Fokina said.

"This win is so special for me. I look at him every tournament. Here in Monte Carlo, full people [capacity], against the number one, I enjoy every moment."

Earlier, Evans saw off Benjamin Bonzi while Goffin, fresh off his triumph in Marrakech, came through against Jiri Lehecka to set up their second-round meeting.

Tenth seed Taylor Fritz defeated Monegasque wild card Lucas Catarina in three sets and 16th seed Lorenzo Sonego saw off Ilya Ivashka in straight sets. Laslo Djere, a semi-finalist in Marrakech, also progressed to the second round.

Carlos Alcaraz is hopeful of meeting Novak Djokovic in the Monte-Carlo Masters, but his first focus is on a second-round tie with Sebastian Korda. 

Alcaraz is one of the brightest prospects on the ATP Tour, with the 18-year-old Spaniard having won his first Masters title at the Miami Open and become the youngest men's champion of that tournament. 

That was Alcaraz's second title of 2022 and third overall. He is now up to 11th in the ATP world rankings. 

Seeded eighth, Alcaraz has been handed a bye to the second round but is in the same quarter of the draw as world number one Djokovic, who has triumphed twice in Monte Carlo. 

Alcaraz, though, is making sure not to get ahead of himself and think too much about a maiden meeting with Djokovic, with American Korda – who defeated Botic van de Zandschulp in his first-round match – first up. 

"I don't want to be in a rush, I just focus on the first [match]," Alcaraz told reporters ahead of what is a rematch of the Next Gen ATP Finals championship match which he won in straight sets. 

"Obviously, it would be a great match against Novak. 

"Playing against the number one player in the world [would be] amazing for me, but I hope to play well in the first [matches] and hope to meet him in the quarter-finals." 

Alcaraz seems set to have a future at the very top of the game but is insisting everything must be taken step by step. 

"Sometimes it is difficult, but I am trying to make it easy," he said. 

"Doing everything for the first time, I am trying my best, trying to manage the nerves of the first time well." 

Taylor Fritz, who won a Masters title at Indian Wells earlier this year, could also be standing in the way of Alcaraz and the quarter-finals, should the American defeat wildcard Lucas Catarina and Marin Cilic. 

Djokovic, on the other hand, faces Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in his first match. 

Stan Wawrinka's ATP Tour return at the Monte-Carlo Masters ended in defeat, while Jannik Sinner came through a tense encounter with Borna Coric. 

The former world number three made his comeback after more than a year out with a left foot injury that required two surgeries but fell to a 3-6 7-5 6-2 defeat to Alexander Bublik in the first round. 

Wawrinka, who entered the tournament as a wildcard having slipped to 236 in the world rankings, came from a break down to take the opening set but fatigue eventually set in and he was eliminated after two hours and seven minutes. 

"I think the body's getting much better," said Wawrinka, who lost in straight sets to Elias Ymer at a Challenger tournament in Marbella two weeks ago. 

"I'm still far away from where I want to be, but I think I'm [going in] the right direction. I think today was a positive match. It was a tough loss, of course, but I'm happy with the way I was playing today. 

"I was playing better, feeling better on the court physically. I spent a lot of mental energy to focus, to stay there as it was tough at the end. But I'm happy with what I have done."

Ninth seed Sinner was taken the distance by Coric before completing a 6-3 2-6 6-3 victory to advance to the second round. 

Sinner took a medical timeout in the second set while he dealt with some apparent abdominal pain, but he was able to battle back and take the win. 

Diego Schwartzman needed over three hours to come from behind and defeat Karen Khachanov 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-3, while his fellow Argentine Federico Delbonis set up a clash with second seed Alexander Zverev by besting Jaume Munar 6-4 3-6 6-4. 

Reigning champion Stefanos Tsitsipas faces a meeting with Fabio Fognini in the second round after the Italian overcame Arthur Rinderknech 7-5 4-6 6-3.  

There were also wins for Hubert Hurkacz, Pablo Carreno Busta, Marin Cilic, Alex de Minaur, Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Sebastian Korda. 

Novak Djokovic could face Carlos Alcaraz for the first time after the Monte Carlo Masters draw put the world number one and the teenage revelation on course to clash in the quarter-finals.

The draw for the tournament that begins on Sunday served up the appetising prospect of a tussle between the reigning French Open champion and a player many expect to enjoy huge Roland Garros success.

Alcaraz, 18, last week became the youngest men's champion at the Miami Open, and he has soared to number 11 in the ATP rankings after sitting outside the top 100 at this time 12 months ago.

He won an ATP 250 tournament on clay last year in Umag, and an ATP 500 on the surface in Rio de Janeiro in February, but earning a Masters 1000 hard court title in Miami highlighted the scale of Alcaraz's rapid improvement.

Both he and Djokovic will receive a first-round bye in Monte Carlo, and they must then win twice to set up a meeting at the last-eight stage.

Alcaraz may have to beat the in-form Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz in the third round, with Marin Cilic and Sebastian Korda also potential early opponents for the young Spaniard.

Djokovic will not be taking a quarter-final place for granted, either. If he navigates his opening match, the Serbian could face a dicey third-round clash with Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut or the player to whom he lost at the last-16 stage last year, Britain's Dan Evans.

Rafael Nadal is absent after suffering a stress fracture of a rib during his Indian Wells final defeat to Fritz.

Matteo Berrettini could miss the French Open after the world number six was forced to withdraw from three tournaments as he continues to recover from minor hand surgery.

The Italian progressed to the Wimbledon final in 2021 and started the new season in encouraging fashion as he reached the Australian Open semi-finals, where he was well-beaten by eventual winner Rafael Nadal.

However, the 25-year-old has seemingly struggled from then on, with his next best performance coming in Rio – where he made the last eight – as he limped to a 9-6 record so far in 2022.

Further difficulties followed for Berrettini after he sustained an injury to his right hand late in March, forcing him to withdraw from the Miami Open before undergoing a "minor operation".

Berrettini provided another update on Instagram on Thursday, revealing he would not feature at the Monte-Carlo Masters, scheduled to start later this week, or the Madrid Open and Italian Open at the start of May.

The latter tournament in Rome begins just two weeks before the second grand slam of the year, leading to concerns that Berrettini may not feature at Roland Garros.

"UPDATE – following advice from the medical experts, my team and I have decided that it is crucial I do not put time pressure on my recovery process," he posted.

"We have therefore decided I should withdraw from the Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome tournaments to ensure I give myself the proper amount of time to return at my highest level.

"Withdrawing from these events, particularly Rome, was an extremely tough decision, however it is the right one to ensure many more years of competing at the highest level for the biggest trophies.

"Thanks very much for all the support. My recovery process is on track and I look forward to seeing you on-court soon."

Carlos Alcaraz said he never expected to have such a meteoric rise so early in his career after winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open.

Alcaraz defeated Casper Ruud 7-5 6-4 in the final, making the 18-year-old the youngest ever winner in Miami, beating Novak Djokovic's previous record when he won it aged 19.

With the win, Alcaraz jumped all the way up number 11 in the world.

Speaking to Tennis Channel after his triumph, Alcaraz said he has already exceeded his goals for this season.

"Of course, I did not expect this," he said.

"My goal was to end this year in the top-15, and now I'm at 11, close to the top-10. I'm going up so fast, and I think it's [because of] all the hard work I'm putting in every day.

"Of course my experience from last year has helped me a lot – playing Rafa (Nadal) in Madrid, against (Alexander) Zverev in Acapulco – you have to live that experience to learn.

"When I started playing tennis when I was five or six, I wanted to be number one in the world, and this year I've realised I can beat the top players in the world."

Alcaraz was buoyed by the presence of his coach, former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero, who surprised him the day before the final after being absent throughout the tournament, mourning the death of his father back in Spain.

"Juan Carlos [Ferrero] played everything that I'm playing, he has experienced all that I am experiencing right now, so he has helped me a lot," he said.

"It's amazing to have Juan Carlos here with me – I talk with him every day, but it was a surprise when he arrived, I didn't know anything.

"It was a big surprise and I was really happy [to see him] – I'm really happy to win my first Masters 1000 title with him here."

With the young Spaniard now drawing comparisons to Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal, Alcaraz said it can only be a good thing.

"If people are comparing you with Rafa, that means you are doing great things, and you are doing it the right way," he said.

"I'm trying to not think about that – Rafa is Rafa, and I am Carlos Alcaraz – Rafa is one of the best players in the history of tennis, and I am a young man living his dream.

"I looked up to Rafa when I was young, he inspired me a lot, watching his big matches, so to be around him in the tour, and to be able to play against him, is pretty special."

Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest Miami Open men's champion as the teenage Spaniard continued his rapid rise by fending off world number eight Casper Ruud.

A 7-5 6-4 victory in Sunday's final gave 18-year-old Alcaraz the third ATP singles title of his career, after winning the 2021 Croatia Open and the Rio Open in February this year.

Alcaraz's maiden Masters 1000 title saw him secure Miami glory even earlier than Novak Djokovic, who was 19 at the time of his 2007 triumph.

"I have no words to describe how I feel – it feels so special to win my first Masters 1000 here in Miami," Alcaraz said.

While he got the job done in the end, there was far from a smooth start for Alcaraz, who lost the first three games of the opening set as Ruud grabbed the early break.

Down 4-1 in that first set, Alcaraz then rattled off three consecutive games to tie it back up, and after breaking again to go up 6-5, he held his nerve to save a break point and move ahead in the contest.

Ruud had issues dealing with Alcaraz's first serve all match long, but it was most dominant in the first set, the Spanish player winning 76 per cent when landing his first serves, while Ruud was down at 54 per cent.

Alcaraz flipped the script in the second set and jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a double break. Ruud was able to get one break back, but he never threatened the rest of the way as Alcaraz closed it out in style, conceding only two points from his last three service games.

Speaking on the court after his win, Alcaraz was overjoyed as he acknowledged a large contingent of support in the crowd, including coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

"I have my whole team with me, and my family… this is the second tournament that they've all been here with me," he said.

"Thank you to my team, I'm glad to have my father here with me and to be able to share this moment with my family."

Touching on some of his strategy, Alcaraz said the plan was to try and avoid Ruud's dominant forehand as much as possible.

"I knew Casper is playing unbelievable, and has a big forehand, so I tried to play to his backhand first, and attack all the time," he said.

"I'm always trying to attack, and not let him dominate the match with his forehands down the line – that was a pretty big key for me."

With the win, Alcaraz becomes the world number 11, and does not turn 19 until next month.

Daniil Medvedev believes he is in a good spot despite letting slip his chance to claim the world number one ranking at the Miami Masters, losing 6-7 (5-7) 3-6 to Hubert Hurkacz on Thursday.

Medvedev had to deal with dizziness and fatigue during the match, taking a medical timeout against the defending champion in Miami, and was disappointed he was not able to produce his best tennis.

The defeat means the 25-year-old will stay behind Novak Djokovic, who has not played on the ATP Tour since losing to Jiri Vesely back in the quarter-finals in Dubai.

Heading into the clay season, the Russian world number two is buoyant after a 4-2 record across Acapulco and Indian Wells.

"I'm kind of happy about the tournament in Miami in a way of tennis… I managed in Miami to find just a little spark to make it work," Medvedev said post-match.

"Today was not enough, but I'm happy that I saw that I'm able to do it. I'm in the right direction, so it's good."

Hurkacz will face Carlos Alcaraz, who made his second ATP 1000 semi-final after a thrilling 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-5) victory against Miomir Kecmanovic.

Both Alcaraz and Kecmanovic exhibited extraordinary court coverage in a match-up between two of the more adept returners of serve on the tour, but the 18-year-old Spaniard could simply find a higher gear as points progressed.

Alcaraz played some inspired tennis to break back in the seventh game in the opening set, shifting Kecmanovic around the court to set up a stunning cross-court backhand pass for break point, before stepping in on the second serve to restore parity.

Despite Kecmanovic holding to love in his next two service games, it did not put consequent pressure on his teenage opponent, who forced a tie-break. However, Kecmaovic clawed back from a mini-break to take a riveting opening set.

Hitting 52 winners for the match, the world number 16 pulled out his best tennis of the match in Kecmanovic's opening service game of the second set, coming up with a magnificent lob on the run to set up the break.

Saving break point while serving for the set, he held out to force a deciding third. Coming back from a mini-break in the third set tie-break, Alcaraz ended the match on fitting note, scrambling to the net to slice past Kecmanovic at the end of a frenetic rally.

Daniil Medvedev missed the chance to return to the top of the rankings as he was beaten by Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open on Thursday.

Medvedev would have become world number one once again if he had defeated Hurkacz, but the defending champion won 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 on Hard Rock Stadium.

Novak Djokovic will remain the top-ranked male player on the planet thanks to Pole Hurkacz, who levelled his head-to-head record with the Russian at 2-2.

Carlos Alcaraz or Miomir Kecmanovic will do battle with eighth seed Hurkacz, who won 74 per cent of points on his first serve and broke Medvedev's serve three times, for a place in the final.

Hurkacz's win over the top seed was his second against a top-two player, with the first also coming against Medvedev at Wimbledon last year.

"I think the return was crucial. I was able to make a lot of returns and get some free points on my serve, because having rallies with Daniil is fun, but they get long,” Hurkacz said on his on-court interview.

"It is good I was able to get some free points. I have spent a lot of time in Florida, so I am used to the humidity. I think the conditions were in my favour today, so I tried to use them."

Casper Ruud set up a semi-final with Francisco Cerundolo at the Miami Masters after he defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3 1-6 6-3 on Wednesday.

Ruud's heavy topspin game gave Zverev problems initially, contributing to a 94 per cent success rate from points on his first serve, while Zverev struggled to find rhythm on serve at 58 per cent.

Saving two break points in the opening game of the second seemed to spark Zverev into life, but Ruud was able to regroup and continue dominating from the baseline in the third to comfortably see his way through.

"It was great to get that break early on [in the third set] and I was able to keep it all the way out," Ruud said post-match. "I was serving well. I can thank my serving for the win today."

The Norweigian world number eight lost his first three ATP 1000 quarter-finals on hard court, but played with confidence on the back of a 75 per cent first-serve rate.

He will face Cerundolo, who also advanced into the semi-finals on Wednesday, after Jannik Sinner was forced to retire due to foot blisters. The Argentine was leading 4-1 in the first set after 23 minutes when Sinner called the match.

The world number 103 held a 0-2 record on hard courts prior to this week, but has now made his first ATP 1000 semi-final in as many attempts after progressing past Tallon Griekspoor, Reilly Opelka, Gael Monfils and Frances Tiafoe.

Cerundolo has enjoyed a strong start to 2022, with respective quarter-final and semi-final appearances on clay in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.

The winner of the upcoming semi-final will make their first ATP 1000 final appearance, while Ruud was able to beat Zverev at third time of asking, losing the opening two games head-to-head.