Italian Open Tennis: 2017 Rome champion Alexander Zverev bids for spot in the finals, live on Sky Sports

All you need to know as the Italian Open continues...

Who is in action in Rome on Friday?

It is the men's semi-finals and a landmark day for Chilean tennis with two players in the mix.

First up, 2017 champion Alexander Zverev takes on Alejandro Tabilo, who is in his maiden Masters 1000 semi-final at 2.30pm.

Tommy Paul will then take on Nicolas Jarry in the second semi-final, at 7.30pm.

Both Chileans have claimed some notable wins this week with Tabilo taking out a lacklustre Novak Djokovic in the third round, while Jarry ousted an in-form Stefanos Tsitsipas to also reach a first Masters 1000 semi-final.

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What is the Italian Open?

The third clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event of the season sees the players compete at the iconic Foro Italico in Rome.

World No 1 Novak Djokovic and 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal made early exits as their preparation for the French Open at Roland Garros later this month took a hit.

Play begins at midday UK time for the rest of the tournament, with evening sessions on Friday.

The finals will be held on Saturday and Sunday, with play to commence at 12pm on both days.

Who are the defending Italian Open champions?

Daniil Medvedev won the 2023 singles title, his first clay-court trophy, with victory over Holger Rune, while Elena Rybakina won the second WTA 1000 title of her career, defeating Anhelina Kalinina.

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What's coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

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In the run-up to the second Grand Slam of 2024 - the French Open at Roland Garros from May 26 - you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the clay-court season.

• Geneva Open (ATP 250) - May 20-26
• Lyon Open (ATP 250) - May 20-26
• Internationaux de Strasbourg (WTA 500) - May 20-26
• Morocco Open (WTA 250) - May 20-26

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