ROME, MAY 19,
Britain’s Johanna Konta fought back from a set down to seal victory on her fourth match-point against Kiki Bertens to reach the final at the Italian .
Konta, ranked 42, came through 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 against sixth seed Bertens, winner of the Madrid Open last week, after almost three hours on the red clay of Rome.
Dutchwoman Bertens had advanced to the semifinals after World No.1 Naomi Osaka of Japan retired with a hand injury before their match on Friday.
Rafael Nadal, meanwhile, swept past Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4 to advance to his first final on clay this season.
The eight-time Rome winner had been stunned by Tsitsipas, seeded eighth, in the semifinals at the Madrid Open last weekend.
But the 32-year-old Spaniard was clinical on the red clay of the Foro Italico winning through in 1hr 42min to maintain his record of having not dropped a set this week.
Nadal, seeded second, was playing his fourth straight semifinal, but had not managed to go further on clay this season.
His run to the Rome final comes just a week before he starts his assault on a 12th French Open title at Roland Garros.
