Seven-time champion Rafael Nadal deflated local hopes at the Italian Open on Friday, beating the last home player, Fabio Fognini 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Nadal needs to win the Rome title on Sunday to displace Roger Federer as world number one.

The 31-year-old Spaniard recovered from losing a lengthy first set before breezing through the quarter-final tie for the loss of just three more games.

Nadal needs to win the Rome title on Sunday to displace Roger Federer as world number one

Seven-time champion Rafael Nadal deflated local hopes at the Italian Open on Friday, beating the last home player, Fabio Fognini 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Nadal needs to win the Rome title on Sunday to displace Roger Federer as world number one. The 31-year-old Spaniard recovered from losing a lengthy first set before breezing through the quarter-final tie for the loss of just three more games.

Italian Open: Rafael Nadal outplays Fabio Fognini to enter semi-final

Former world number-1&nbsp;Karolina Pliskova, 26, repeatedly hit the umpire's chair with her racket after losing her match to&nbsp;Maria Sakkari in the second round&nbsp;of the Italian Open surprising everyone in the crowd since the Czech player has no history of misbehaviour.

Greece's Maria Sakkari defeated Karolina Pliskova 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the WTA Italian Open, out of frustration, Pliskova furiously hammered the umpire's chair with her racket.

In the third set with the sixth-seeded Czech serving 6-3, 3-6, 5-5 (30/30) she had an overhead shot incorrectly ruled out and both the line judge and the umpire said they could not find the mark.

After vehemently arguing with the umpire to no avail Pliskova&nbsp;became furious as 42nd-ranked Sakkari was given the advantage and also a breakpoint at a crucial stage of the match.&nbsp;

Karolina Pliskova behaviour could attract a heavy penalty even the WTA hasn't announced its decision as yet.

Watch the video here:

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Holy moly Pliskova is the real MVP! Well done, she was right about that call! it was 10km in! <a href="https://t.co/YgJ5MHgmYo">pic.twitter.com/YgJ5MHgmYo</a>
— LorenaPopa? ??‍♀️ (@popalorena) <a href="https://twitter.com/popalorena/status/996735228394835969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Watch Pliskova arguing with the umpire:

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. Can totally understand her frustration. Here is the call... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wtaRome?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wtaRome</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pliskova?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pliskova</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sakkari?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sakkari</a> <a href="https://t.co/uDa04yt2O2">pic.twitter.com/uDa04yt2O2</a>
— Tennis/NBA (@BoomTSB) <a href="https://twitter.com/BoomTSB/status/996737622616805376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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For Sakkari it was the first top-five win of her career and she will face the winner of the second-round match between 11th seed Angelique Kerber of Germany and Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu.

Pliskova was furious when 42nd-ranked Sakkari was given the advantage and also a breakpoint at a crucial stage of the match

Former world number-1 Karolina Pliskova, 26, repeatedly hit the umpire's chair with her racket after losing her match to Maria Sakkari in the second round of the Italian Open surprising everyone in the crowd since the Czech player has no history of misbehaviour. Greece's Maria Sakkari defeated Karolina Pliskova 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the WTA Italian Open, out of frustration, Pliskova furiously hammered the umpire's chair with her racket. In the third set with the sixth-seeded Czech serving 6-3, 3-6, 5-5 (30/30) she had an overhead shot incorrectly ruled out and both the line judge and the umpire said they could not find the mark. After vehemently arguing with the umpire to no avail Pliskova became furious as 42nd-ranked Sakkari was given the advantage and also a breakpoint at a crucial stage of the match. Karolina Pliskova behaviour could attract a heavy penalty even the WTA hasn't announced its decision as yet. Watch the video here: Holy moly Pliskova is the real MVP! Well done, she was right about that call! it was 10km in! pic.twitter.com/YgJ5MHgmYo — LorenaPopa? ??‍♀️ (@popalorena) May 16, 2018 × Watch Pliskova arguing with the umpire: . Can totally understand her frustration. Here is the call... #wtaRome #pliskova #sakkari pic.twitter.com/uDa04yt2O2 — Tennis/NBA (@BoomTSB) May 16, 2018 × For Sakkari it was the first top-five win of her career and she will face the winner of the second-round match between 11th seed Angelique Kerber of Germany and Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu.

Watch: Czech tennis player Pliskova 'smashes' umpire's chair

Former world number one Serena Williams has withdrawn from next week`s Italian Open, the organisers said on Wednesday, casting doubts over her participation in the French Open beginning later this month.

The 36-year-old, who has triumphed in Italy on four previous occasions, returned to action in March after the birth of her daughter last September but is yet to regain full fitness.

The 23-times grand slam winner made her comeback at Indian Wells in March and has not played since her opening round defeat by Japan`s Naomi Osaka at the Miami Open.

"We are so sad to announce that Serena Williams, a four-time Champion in Rome, has withdrawn... Obviously we can`t wait to see her again on Foro Italico`s red clay, perhaps in 2019?," the organisers said on Twitter.

The Italian Open is held from May 14 to 20, a week before the French Open main draw kicks off on May 27.

The 36-year-old returned to action in March

Former world number one Serena Williams has withdrawn from next week`s Italian Open, the organisers said on Wednesday, casting doubts over her participation in the French Open beginning later this month. The 36-year-old, who has triumphed in Italy on four previous occasions, returned to action in March after the birth of her daughter last September but is yet to regain full fitness. The 23-times grand slam winner made her comeback at Indian Wells in March and has not played since her opening round defeat by Japan`s Naomi Osaka at the Miami Open. "We are so sad to announce that Serena Williams, a four-time Champion in Rome, has withdrawn... Obviously we can`t wait to see her again on Foro Italico`s red clay, perhaps in 2019?," the organisers said on Twitter. The Italian Open is held from May 14 to 20, a week before the French Open main draw kicks off on May 27.

Serena Williams' French Open campaign in doubt after another withdrawal

Novak Djokovic overcame having to play twice in a day before cruising into the final of the Rome Masters with a ruthless 6-1, 6-0 win over Dominic Thiem on Saturday.

Djokovic, the former four-time champion, was forced to finish his quarter-final over Juan Martin del Potro earlier in the day after their match was rained off late on Friday.

But the setback seemed only to inspire the 30-year-old Serbian second seed, as he set up what is expected to be a mouthwatering final, and first meeting, with Germany&#39;s Alexander Zverev.

&quot;It was my best performance of the year,&quot; said Djokovic after his 59-minute win over Thiem who had knocked out Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals.

Zverev, 20, became the youngest player in a decade to reach a Masters final when he clinched a gutsy 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 win over big-serving American John Isner.

Djokovic was the previous youngest Masters finalist, going all the way to the title in Miami as a 19-year-old in 2007.

Zverev will climb to a new career high in the rankings at number 14 by reaching the final and would break into the top 10 with the title.

&quot;I don&#39;t look at these kind of stats, who is the youngest player to have a Masters 1000 title or things like this. I try to play match by match and try to improve,&quot; said Zverev, who fired 12 aces and 41 winners past the 32-year-old Isner.

Thiem, beaten to the Madrid Masters title by Nadal last week, avenged his loss by dumping Spain&#39;s former seven-time Rome champion out in the quarters on Friday.

But the Austrian&#39;s dream run was quickly brought to an end by a clinical Djokovic on Saturday as the Serbian took his record to 5-0 against the 23-year-old.

In the WTA event, French Open champion Garbine Muguruza was forced to retire due to a neck injury from her semi-final against Ukraine&#39;s Elina Svitolina.

The Spanish third seed was 1-4 down after just 22 minutes in the first set when she quit, handing the eighth-seeded Svitolina a place in Sunday&#39;s final against Romania&#39;s Simona Halep.

Svitolina will chase a fourth title of the year after trophy triumphs in Taiwan, Dubai and Istanbul.

Muguruza had needed three sets to beat Venus Williams in the quarter-finals on Friday night.

&quot;I didn&#39;t want to leave Rome without trying to play,&quot; said Muguruza.

Sixth-seeded Halep, the champion in Madrid last weekend, reached her first final in Rome after sweeping aside Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens 7-5, 6-1 in her semi-final.

&quot;Sometimes a win over a top player gives you confidence,&quot; Halep said after her semi-final.

&quot;Sometimes the work you do before the tournaments gives you confidence that you are ready to go. Sometimes just winning some matches, tough ones, even if in three sets, those are the most important matches.&quot;

(AFP)

Djokovic, the former four-time champion, was forced to finish his quarter-final over Juan Martin del Potro earlier in the day after their match was rained off late on Friday.

Novak Djokovic overcame having to play twice in a day before cruising into the final of the Rome Masters with a ruthless 6-1, 6-0 win over Dominic Thiem on Saturday. Djokovic, the former four-time champion, was forced to finish his quarter-final over Juan Martin del Potro earlier in the day after their match was rained off late on Friday. But the setback seemed only to inspire the 30-year-old Serbian second seed, as he set up what is expected to be a mouthwatering final, and first meeting, with Germany's Alexander Zverev. "It was my best performance of the year," said Djokovic after his 59-minute win over Thiem who had knocked out Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals. Zverev, 20, became the youngest player in a decade to reach a Masters final when he clinched a gutsy 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 win over big-serving American John Isner. Djokovic was the previous youngest Masters finalist, going all the way to the title in Miami as a 19-year-old in 2007. Zverev will climb to a new career high in the rankings at number 14 by reaching the final and would break into the top 10 with the title. "I don't look at these kind of stats, who is the youngest player to have a Masters 1000 title or things like this. I try to play match by match and try to improve," said Zverev, who fired 12 aces and 41 winners past the 32-year-old Isner. Thiem, beaten to the Madrid Masters title by Nadal last week, avenged his loss by dumping Spain's former seven-time Rome champion out in the quarters on Friday. But the Austrian's dream run was quickly brought to an end by a clinical Djokovic on Saturday as the Serbian took his record to 5-0 against the 23-year-old. In the WTA event, French Open champion Garbine Muguruza was forced to retire due to a neck injury from her semi-final against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina. The Spanish third seed was 1-4 down after just 22 minutes in the first set when she quit, handing the eighth-seeded Svitolina a place in Sunday's final against Romania's Simona Halep. Svitolina will chase a fourth title of the year after trophy triumphs in Taiwan, Dubai and Istanbul. Muguruza had needed three sets to beat Venus Williams in the quarter-finals on Friday night. "I didn't want to leave Rome without trying to play," said Muguruza. Sixth-seeded Halep, the champion in Madrid last weekend, reached her first final in Rome after sweeping aside Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens 7-5, 6-1 in her semi-final. "Sometimes a win over a top player gives you confidence," Halep said after her semi-final. "Sometimes the work you do before the tournaments gives you confidence that you are ready to go. Sometimes just winning some matches, tough ones, even if in three sets, those are the most important matches." (AFP)

Djokovic notches 6-1, 6-0 win over Dominic Thiem, sails into Rome Masters final

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Italian Open: Rafael Nadal outplays Fabio Fognini to enter semi-final

Watch: Czech tennis player Pliskova 'smashes' umpire's chair

Serena Williams' French Open campaign in doubt after another withdrawal

Djokovic notches 6-1, 6-0 win over Dominic Thiem, sails into Rome Masters final