Jarry beats Paul in Rome thriller to reach first Masters 1000 final

Nicolas Jarry edged out Tommy Paul 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 in a thriller at the Foro Italico on Friday to reach his first Masters 1000 final.

The Chilean led by a set and 4-2 before 14th seed Paul fought back brilliantly but Jarry then recovered to get the vital break in the third and held his nerve under pressure to clinch a dramatic victory on his fifth match point.

Jarry, ranked No 24, will face German Alexander Zverev, the No 3 seed, next. He’s the third Chilean ever to reach the final in Rome, following in the footsteps of Marcelo Rios and Fernando Gonzalez and he’s set to be ranked at least a career-high No 17.

“It was tougher to enjoy today. I was feeling different but I tried, I was able to come back with my tennis in the third set, playing very aggressive. To finish the match is never easy, but I made it through. It’s an amazing feeling.

“I think I play my best tennis in those moments. It’s difficult to maintain the level constantly but I’m in the final.”

Jarry starts fast before Paul fights back

Serving big and crunching forehands from the baseline, Jarry started fast and looked on his way to a straight-sets win when he led by a set and 4-2.

But one point – at 15-15 in that seventh game of the second set – changed the momentum as Paul flicked a Roger Federer-like one-handed backhand on the run down the line for a winner. That turned the set on its head and Paul, returning aggressively, snatched the tiebreak to level the match.

Jarry holds off another Paul fightback in the decider

Paul was throwing everything at Jarry but the Chilean had the edge serving first in the third, and took advantage as he broke for 4-2 and extended his lead to 5-2.

Paul held to love to ask Jarry the question and at 40-0 it looked like he had the answers as he stood at three match points. But Paul crunched two massive backhands to get back to deuce and twice had break point only for Jarry to come up with big forehands to shut the door.

A 222kmh ace gave Jarry a fifth match point and this time he took it, Paul’s forehand sailing just long to end a pulsating match.

The Chilean beat Italian Matteo Arnaldi (6-2, 7-6 (6)), Italian wildcard Stefano Napolitano (6-2, 4-6, 6-4), French qualifier Alexandre Muller (7-5, 6-3) and Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the No 6 seed (3-6, 7-5, 6-4) in the previous rounds of the Italian Open.

Earlier in the tournament, Paul, ranked No 16, defeated Russian Aslan Karatsev (6-4, 6-2), German Dominik Koepfer (6-4, 6-3), Russian Daniil Medvedev, the second seed (6-1, 6-4) and Pole Hubert Hurkacz, the No 7 seed (7-5, 3-6, 6-3).

Roma Masters 1000, other semi-final result (Foro Italico, clay, EUR 7.877.020):

• Alexander Zverev beat Alejandro Tabilo (29): 1-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2