American tennis player Tommy Paul made it to the semi-final of the Italian Open on Thursday, with a thumping 7-6(4), 6-3. win over Hubert Hurkacz in the last eight match.
The match lasted one hour and 58 minutes and was an up-and-down affair that featured six breaks.
This marked his successive semi-final appearance at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Paul is now the first American man to reach consecutive semi-finals in Rome since Pete Sampras in 1993-94 and he could return to the top 10 with a win over world number one Sinner.
Following the game, the 27-year-old said, "Every time I come here, I feel at home. The courts match up with my game really well. I feel comfortable out here, and I have been playing some good tennis this week."
With this win, he has improved his record in Rome to nine wins and four losses.
Paul had to defeat Hurkacz in three sets at Rome last year at the same stage. Now his record against him stands at three wins and a loss.
"Both of us were returning so well, obviously we would have liked to be hitting our spots better on serve," Paul said of the first set. "We were keeping the pressure in our service games. I thought I regrouped pretty well in the breaker, and then into the second set," he added.
Paul has had to put off-court distractions in his rear view mirror at the Italian Open this week after the American's beloved truck was repossessed at his home in Florida.
Paul set up a semi-final against Jannik Sinner in Rome but it was clear the fate of his Ford F-150 was a worry for the world number 12, who has made more than $10 million in career prize money.
"It's been a great week on court so far. I feel like I've been getting a little bit better with every match. Off court, a little bit of a stressful week," said Paul.
"I got my truck repossessed. I missed a couple payments and they took my truck from my house this week. I've been grinding to get my truck back. If you know me, that's my baby."
Paul, who later shared a video on Instagram of his vehicle being towed away, added that his truck was on the way back home after he paid a $1,000 fine to the authorities.
"I'm excited to get it back. I had to win a couple matches so I could pay that off," said Paul after pocketing 291,040 euros ($325,964) for reaching the last four.
He is also seeking his first title of the season after capturing three in 2024 and a win in Rome would be the perfect build up to the French Open, which begins on May 25.
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