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Professional sports events in Italy have been
played without fans since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic but
sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora said fans would be allowed to
attend the closing stages of the tournament on Sunday and
Monday.
Apart from the tennis masters, two Serie A matches this weekend
and the Formula One race at Imola in November are also set to
allow up to 1,000 spectators.
"I hope that's true. If we are going to have 1,000 people, it's
better than no people," Djokovic told reporters after he
advanced to the quarter-finals with a 7-6(7) 6-3 victory over
fellow Serb Filip Krajinovic.
"We all miss the fans, and part of our professional careers in
sport is playing in front of them and for them as well. So I'm
really glad that that's going to happen."
Djokovic also said he hoped the matches would be played on
centre court as he preferred the surface on the main court at
the Foro Italico.
"I heard also they are considering to use Pietrangeli or NextGen
court for semi-finals and finals," he added.
"I hope it's not the case, because the quality of the clay and
quality of the centre court is, in my opinion, much better than
the other courts."
Djokovic will take on German Dominik Koepfer, who ended Italian
teenager Lorenzo Musetti's dream run with a 6-4 6-0 win. Musetti,
18, had beaten Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori in the first two
rounds.
Second seed Rafa Nadal, seeking his 10th title in Rome, also
advanced with a 6-1 6-3 victory over Dusan Lajovic to set up a
clash with Argentine Diego Schwartzman.
In the women's field, top seeds Simona Halep and Karolina
Pliskova moved into the quarter-finals with straight sets
victories while Yulia Putintseva beat Kazakh compatriot Elena
Rybakina 4-6 7-6(3) 6-2.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
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