Luca Darderi has certainly been letting out his inner twat as of late. Or maybe he always did and I just missed it.

Daniel Altmeier sends Ben Shelton packing in Hamburg. Shelton served for the match in the 2nd set but couldn't get it done. At least a little bit of light at the end of a terrible bad news tennis day.

The next few months are going to be deader than fucking dead on the men's side 😭

Thiago was a dream too wild 😂but I am SO happy for Elina. With Rybakina and Swiantek in the way before even reaching the final I must admit I didn't think she would make. But she proved me wrong!

Same as yesterday 😁

Elina!!! 🥳🎉🎆🧨 Yesssss!!

I must admit I've only been superficially aware of Landaluce until this tournament. Digging a bit deeper now. Interesting kid, this one. I think I'm going to like him a lot. www.claytenis.com/features/mar...

No Cocodrama today? I'll take it.

Young Jodar hanging on for dear life by his finger tips, but just refusing to let go. Impressive. To the 3rd we go.

SweetElina. Tenacity personified.

Lovely.

😂Cut him some slack. He is currently unemployed and he has a brand new yacht to pay off 🤣

And there it is. Darderi was, of course, playing on an entirely different court 🙄

And Darderi bagels him in the 3rd 😂It was weird though. After he lost the 2nd set it was like his soul had just left his body. I look forward to his "explanations".

Well, well, Darderi just made things interesting. Took the 2nd set tie break 12-10. It ended on a Zverev double fault, quelle surprise.

My "I know it won't happen but if my wildest dreams could come true" champions would be Elina Svitolina and Thiago Tirante.

Thiago Tirante! Simply brilliant! I'm so happy that there is at least one Argentine through to R4. Sad that it had to come at the expense of Cobolli, but that's tennis. Maybe one day Etcheverry and Cerundolo will overcome their aversion to closing out tight sets and matches, and there can be more.

👏🎆🎉🥳

Navone 😭😭😭. It was a lot of fun while it lasted.

Coco ... every match? Do you think we need this in every match?

I'm a Fokinista (for my sins), but I also have a soft spot for Rublev's tortured soul. Still, I'd like Foki to win today., but I guess it will be whoever loses their minds the least.

I say it again

I'm impressed with Dino Prizmic. Usually when an underdog gets a massive win, like he did over Djokovic 2 days ago, they struggle in the next match but Dino was focused and intense as ever today. Really starting to enjoy this kid.

Sweetie Lina woke up and chose violence this morning 🥶

I started keeping an eye on him in Bucharest this year, where he went on to win the tournament. Absolutely love watching him play. Such a likeable guy, and a great competitor. Nothing but positivity on court and such a great smile. Never gives up. He's fast becoming one of my favorites.

Oh no, what is wrong with Arthur Fils?

Bellucci's got quite the look here in Rome. A kind of a raided the local thrift store vibe. I love it. But I still want Etcheverry to win this match.

This Coco / Solana match has got me reaching for the smelling salts 😨

Dinoooo Prizmiiiic!! Well done! And I really, really can't thank you enough! * Drama Queen exits right, together with whatever "illness" he was supposedly hampered by today as soon as he started losing *

So another abuser vs doper final tomorrow. Oh joy.

He starts launching moonballs, lofty loops that hang forever in the sky. Another. And another. The crowd groans. The opponent looks perplexed. Another. His lips tremble in a broken smile. Under his breath he whispers: “Fly little green ball, fly. Be free. Don’t worry about me.” #tennis#microstory

Blockx is funny. He looks like he was the kid that would ask the teacher for extra homework during the holidays, but he has the voice I would like to hear at the other end of the line if I were to ever phone an x-rated number 😂

“Think outside the box but stay inside the lines! Be consistent but also unpredictable!” She snatches the ring from her finger. “Are… we still talking about tennis?” Lobs it over the fence. “Win more points but lose the match!” I wish we were still talking about tennis. #tennis #microstory

Ooooh, Sab's is getting big mad. 😂

Death, taxes, and unforced from Cerundolo on big points. Sigh. I wish it wasn't so. I'd so much love to see him win a big title during the clay swing.

Oh Felix. Why do you have to be so... Felix-y? But well done to Blockx, he played well.

Yes, Hailey does it! And Naomi just took the first set against Sabs! Today just got magnificently better!!

I really hope Foki is also suffering from the shrimp taco virus, because if that was his normal, healthy level today... 😭 And then I turned to Hailey for comfort and... 😭😭 It's going to get better today, right? Right??

Only four games in and not-a-morning-person-Foki already doing lots of not-a-morning-person-Foki-things. Aah, well, it least it's cutie pie Casper at the other end, so it's less painful today.

Well then. Just as I was settling in for a dog fight of a 3rd set, it's a bread stick and it's over. I think Jodar put pedal to the metal because he could feel the cramps creeping up, and wow, he had another level to go to. But I'm a bit surprised that Fonseca caved so totally.

Rafael Jodar. Fire in his belly. Ice in his veins.

Brazil and Spain have both SHOWED UP. On the court and in the stands. This is fun!

Regardless of how this match ends, I have so much admiration for Coco today. In that physical state you won't get me to as much as lift my head from my pillow, no matter how many come ons and right here right nows you yell at me.

Happy Foki Is Back Day to all my fellow masochists celebrating.

"And then I start to get a bit mad". Yes, we noticed 😂 You gotta love this kid.

Rafael Jodar is very much starting to look like the real deal. As a pretty gutted Carlitos fan today, I'm starting to hope that maybe, just in time, we've found ourselves a spare Spaniard.

By the skin of his teeth. The dawg in him dragged him over the finish line. When you're suffering from post-win-itis, Buse is a dangerous opponent to face in your first match. It was a very entertaining watch.

Ignacio Buse is in a mood. In a good way. Arthur Fils is also in a mood. But not in a good way. 👀

I'm not very critical of players' on-court foibles and habits. Whatever helps you play better, within reasonable limits. I wouldn't want my every move dissected and judged. But the way so many players are screaming their way through matches is getting really annoying. Martinez Cirez right now

I'm elated for Fils. Love watching him play. But I feel for Rublev. I wouldn't have begrudged him winning here in what was most likely his last opportunity.