Norrie advances in Italian Open as Nadal is eliminated

Rafael Nadal’s bid for an 11th Italian Open title came to an unexpected end as he was defeated by world number nine Hubert Hurkacz in Rome. The Spaniard, who has won the tournament 10 times in the past, was outplayed by the big-serving Pole in a 6-1, 6-3 loss that lasted just 93 minutes.

At 37 years old, Nadal has hinted that the 2024 season may be his last before retirement, making this potentially his final appearance in Rome. Despite the defeat, Nadal has not yet confirmed whether he will compete at the upcoming French Open, which begins on May 26.

In other matches, Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie advanced to the next round after a hard-fought victory over Jaume Munar. Norrie will face either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Holger Rune in the next round. However, British number two Jack Draper was unable to progress after a defeat to defending champion Daniil Medvedev.

On the women’s side, Polish world number one Iga Swiatek secured her spot in the last 16 with a win over Yulia Putintseva. Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka continued her dominant run in the tournament with a straight-set victory over Daria Kasatkina.

The Italian Open continues to deliver thrilling matches and unexpected outcomes as the competition heats up in Rome.