Rafael Nadal beats Alexander Zverev in Rome

Rafael Nadal responded to doubts over his form with a straight-set win against sixth seed Alexander Zverev in the Italian Open quarter-finals.

Spain's Nadal, who saved two match points before beating Denis Shapovalov in a marathon match, was much improved in a 6-3 6-4 victory.

The 34-year-old will now face American world number 47 Reilly Opelka.

Opelka reached the semi-finals of a Masters 1,000 for the first time by beating Argentina's Federico Delbonis.

Serbia's world number one Novak Djokovic will resume his quarter-final match against Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas tomorrow after play was suspended because of rain.

Tsitsipas was leading 6-4 2-1 before play was halted for a second time, having led 4-3 before a three-hour 30-minute wait for conditions to improve.

Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev meets Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the final last-eight match.

[Source: BBC]