Quarterfinal day at the Italian Open delivered drama from start to finish, from Elina Svitolina's gritty comeback to Iga Swiatek's masterclass and Luciano Darderi's late-night thriller. The semifinal lineup is now set, and it promises fireworks.
The marquee clash pitted Elena Rybakina, the world No.2 and Tour leader in wins this season, against Svitolina, the 2017 Rome champion. The Ukrainian lost the opening set 2-6 before staging a remarkable comeback built on sheer resilience. She saved 16 of 20 break points across the match, a staggering number that tells the story of this 2-hour-23-minute battle. Svitolina prevailed 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, reaching her first Rome semifinal since 2018 and levelling her head-to-head with Rybakina at 4-4.
The contrast with the following match was stark. Swiatek dismantled Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-2 in just 67 minutes. The American finished with 28 unforced errors against only 6 winners, a ratio that reflects the relentless pressure applied by the Pole. Swiatek did not face a single break point and secured her first top-10 victory of 2026. The four-time Roland-Garros champion is finding her clay-court rhythm at just the right time.
On the men's side, the evening stretched well past midnight. Darderi and did not finish until 2:02 a.m. after 3 hours and 8 minutes of play interrupted by a smoke delay. The Italian, roared on by the Foro Italico crowd, took the first set in a tiebreak 7-6(5) before dropping the second 5-7. The decider turned into a demolition: 6-0 to Darderi, who reaches his first Masters 1000 semifinal.
Thursday's semifinals will feature Svitolina vs. Swiatek and vs. on the WTA side, while Darderi faces in the men's draw.
