ATP Tour

Ruud returns to Rome SFs, downs Khachanov following rain delay

Casper Ruud returned to the semi-finals at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome on Wednesday, when he overcame a mid-match resurgence from Karen Khachanov and the Italian rain to earn a 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 win.

"I was happy with the win," Ruud said in his on-court interview. "A little down period in the second after the rain, but I am proud of the first and third sets. The quality I played with in the first and third sets is some of the best I have felt on court recently. I am not quite sure what happened in the second set but I let myself go and tried to focus on the third set and luckily that worked."

Ruud controlled the first set of the quarter-final clash on Campo Centrale before play was halted at the start of the second set due to rain with the Norwegian leading 6-1, 0-1.

The two-hour, 25-minute delay seemingly halted Ruud’s momentum, with Khachanov flipping the complexion of the clash when returning to court. The 29-year-old struck 11 winners and committed just one unforced in the second set to level.

Ruud was not to be denied, though. The 27-year-old increased his firepower in the decider and produced a moment of magic in the fourth game when he struck a stunning tweener in a high-quality exchange.

Ruud is chasing his second title at this level after winning Madrid last season and will next play Spaniard Rafael Jodar or Luciano Darderi. If the 27-year-old advances, he will reach the Rome final for the first time.

Ruud, who fell out of the Top 20 earlier this month for the first time since 2021, is seeking a quick return. He is up five spots to No. 20 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings following his run to the semi-finals, which has included straight-sets wins over Zachary Svajda, Jiri Lehecka and Lorenzo Musetti in the Italian capital.