ROME — For about an hour, Alexander Zverev had no answer to the rocket-like forehands and perfectly placed drop shots that Alejandro Tabilo kept producing.
The fifth-ranked Zverev kept hanging around, though, and took his chance when it came as he rallied for a 1-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 victory over his unheralded Chilean opponent and a spot in the Italian Open final.
Zverev, the 2017 Rome champion, had the pinky on his left hand bandaged following a fall to the clay in his previous match, after which he said his finger was “crooked.” The German plays right-handed but uses a two-handed backhand.
In the final, Zverev will face either Tommy Paul or Nicolas Jarry, who were playing later.
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek will play No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s final.
Rome is the last big wamrup tournament before the French Open starts on May 26.
Zverev, who has disputed a penalty order from a German court over allegations that he caused bodily harm to a woman, faces a trial starting during Roland Garros. He said recently that he won’t attend the start of the trial.
The 32nd-ranked Tabilo eliminated top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the third round and hadn’t dropped a set in the tournament until a series of errors helped Zverev win the second-set tiebreaker. Zverev then took control early in the third.
Tabilo, who is a lefty, saved a break point midway through the first set with a slicing serve out wide to the ad court then produced three drop shots to serve out the set.
Zverev and Tabilo were born in the same year and played often as juniors, when Tabilo represented Canada, where he was born.