Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep both advanced to the finals of the Italian Open on Sunday as fans returned to the stands at the Foro Italico for the first time this week.
World No 1 Djokovic booked a place in a 10th Rome final with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Norway’s Casper Ruud.
The Serb can win a record 36th Masters 1000 title on Sunday. He is currently tied on 35 with Rafael Nadal, who fell in the quarter-finals.
“I don’t take anything for granted, even after 15 years on the Tour, I still enjoy it,” said Djokovic, a four-time Rome champion who lost to Nadal in last year’s final.
“I still have a hunger for the titles and putting myself in a position to fight for the title is exactly where I want to be.”
Romania’s Halep earlier won the battle of former French Open champions against Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, in the final tune-up on clay before Roland…