In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka were the protagonists of the day as they celebrated their birthdays while preparing for the Rome Open.

Champion Alexander Zverev and world number one Aryna Sabalenka fell by the wayside in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Wednesday, while Carlos Alcaraz beat Briton's Jack Draper 6-4 6-4 to reach the last four for the first time at the claycourt event.

Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the Italian Open semi-finals by defeating Jack Draper, displaying resilience after a shaky start. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka was ousted by Zheng Qinwen, who also set up a semi-final clash with Coco Gauff.

Third seed Alcaraz will face either reigning Rome champion Alexander Zverev and home hope Lorenzo Musetti. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Zheng Qinwen earned her first victory over top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-3 to set up an Italian Open semifinal match against Coco Gauff.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner reminded in Rome that they have a rivalry which could become one for the ages.

Victoria Azarenka, a two-time Grand Slam champion and compatriot of Aryna Sabalenka, recently weighted in on an intriguing debate: who hits the ball harder, the WTA world number one or the American ATP star Tommy Paul?

ROME — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka fought back from a set down against Sofia Kenin to advance at the Italian Open on Sunday. Kenin, the No. 31-seeded American, won the first set of the third round match in Rome 6-3, but Sabalenka powered back to take the next two sets by the same score.

Carlos Alcaraz ... One of Alcaraz's potential opponents in the last 16, Grigor Dimitrov, fell at the first hurdle against wild card entrant Francesco Passaro. - Sabalenka through - Bulgarian ...

Champion Alexander Zverev and world number one Aryna Sabalenka fell by the wayside in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Wednesday, while Carlos Alcaraz beat Briton's Jack Draper 6-4 6-4 to reach the last four for the first time at the claycourt event.

Carlos Alcaraz returned from a brief injury layoff with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic at the Italian Open.