World number three Carlos Alcaraz reached the Italian Open final for the first time after a thrilling 6-3 7-6(4) win over local hope Lorenzo Musetti on Friday. Fans in Rome hoping for an all-Italian final were left disappointed as the Spaniard won in a contest that lasted a little over two hours.

Sunday’s final will mark the first meeting between Sinner and Alcaraz since October, when Alcaraz won the China Open final in a third-set tiebreaker. Alcaraz holds a 6-4 edge in their career meetings and has won three straight against his biggest rival.

ROME -- ROME (AP) — Carlo Alcaraz advanced to his first Italian Open final with a 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory over Lorenzo Musetti on Friday. It’s the third final in three clay-court events this season for Alcaraz, who won the Monte Carlo Masters and finished runner-up in the Barcelona Open before withdrawing from the Madrid Open because of injury.