Zheng Qinwen ousts No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to reach Italian Open semifinals vs. Coco Gauff

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

The 22-year-old Zheng, the Olympic champion from China, had lost all six previous matches against Sabalenka. The eighth-ranked Zheng saved all five break points she faced and broke Sabalenka's serve three times to reach the last four.

Rome is the last big warmup before the French Open starts on May 25.

Carlos Alcaraz beat Jack Draper 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semifinals. He saved six of the eight break points he faced.

The third-ranked Alcaraz, who withdrew from the Madrid tournament due to an upper right leg problem that bothered him during the Barcelona Open final, moved well on the court, often took to the net and used his trademark drop shots and groundstrokes to the best effect.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, who also had a left leg injury, had lost to Draper in their most recent meeting in the semifinals at Indian Wells, California, in March.

Alcaraz rallied from 2-4 to claim the first set. A turning point then came in the eighth game of the second set, when Draped looked like he could force a decider. That game lasted almost 10 minutes and Alcaraz saved two break points before coming out on top. Alcaraz broke at love in the next game and sealed the match.

“The most important thing that I did today was not thinking about the shots at all,” Alcaraz said. “Not thinking about the fact that I was down, just trying to do the things that make me happy. On court I just tried to be aggressive, play good shots, drop shots, go to the net. That’s what I like to do on the court, and I think that made the difference today."

Alacaraz's next opponent will be Lorenzo Musetti, who beat defending champion Alexander Zverev 7-6 (1), 6-4.

Gauff extended her unbeaten streak against Mirra Andreeva to also advance to the last four at the clay-court tournament. She played aggressively throughout in a 6-4, 7-6 (5) win.

Both players hit high-quality shots in the tiebreaker, including Andreeva's superb drop shot just behind the net from a tight angle that allowed her to level at 5-5 before Gauff won the last two points to seal the match.

Gauff has won all four of her matches against the 18-year-old Andreeva, having also beaten her at the French Open and U.S. Open in 2023, and two weeks ago in Madrid.

Jasmine Paolini and Peyton Stearns face off in the other semifinal.

Also Wednesday, top-ranked Jannik Sinner visited the new pope, gave him a tennis racket and offered to play, during an off day for Sinner. Leo XIV, the first American pope, is an avid tennis player.

The pope and Sinner posed for photos in front of the Davis Cup trophy that Sinner helped Italy win for the second consecutive time last year.

Sinner has a quarterfinal match Thursday in his first tournament back after a three-month ban for doping that was judged to be an accidental contamination. He will next face freshly-crowned Madrid champion Casper Ruud, who beat Jaume Munar 6-3, 6-4.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts during a quarter-final tennis match against China's Qinwen Zheng at the Italian Open in Rome, Italy, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

China's Qinwen Zheng celebrates after winning a quarter-final tennis match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Italian Open in Rome, Italy, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Italy's Jannik Sinner, left, shares a light moment with Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of their meeting at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP)

Britain's Jack Draper reacts during after loosing a point during his quarter-final tennis match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz at the Italian Open at the Foro Italico, in Rome, Wednesday, May 14, 2025.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Britain's Jack Draper in their quarter-final tennis match at the Italian Open at the Foro Italico, in Rome, Wednesday, May 14, 2025.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Italy's Jannik Sinner, left, shares a light moment with Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of their meeting at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP)

United States' Coco Gauff celebrates after defeating Mirra Andreeva in their tennis match at the Italian Open at the Foro Italico, in Rome, Wednesday, May 14, 2025.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Mirra Andreeva returns the ball to United States' Coco Gauff during their tennis match at the Italian Open at the Foro Italico, in Rome, Wednesday, May 14, 2025.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

United States' Coco Gauff celebrates after defeating Mirra Andreeva in their tennis match at the Italian Open at the Foro Italico, in Rome, Wednesday, May 14, 2025.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Kane became the 50th player in NHL history to reach 500 goals, scoring his second goal of the game into an empty net with 3:53 left to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 on Thursday night.

The 37-year-old Kane is the fifth U.S.-born player to reach the milestone, following Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538), Jeremy Roenick (513) and Joe Mullen (502). Brett Hull, a dual citizen who was born in Canada and played internationally for the United States, had 741 goals.

Kane opened the scoring on a two-man advantage with 29 seconds left in the first period. He snapped a shot to the short side over goalie Kevin Lankinen’s leg pad.

Kane has 1,369 points, five behind Modano for the U.S.-born mark. Left off the U.S. Olympic team, Kane has eight goals in 30 games this season. He has missed 15 games because of injuries.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, J.T. Compher and Lucas Raymond also scored for Detroit, and John Gibson made 24 saves.

Jake DeBrusk scored for Vancouver, and Lankinen stopped 20 shots in the second game of six-game trip. The Canucks have lost five straight and seven of eight.

Sandin-Pellikka made it 2-0 at 5:09 of the second, and DeBrusk countered for Vancouver on a power play at 7:03 of the period.

Compher scored from close-range with 9:50 to go in the second off a nifty feed from James van Riemsdyk.

Raymond scored after Kane's empty-netter.

Canucks: At Toronto on Saturday night.

Red Wings: At Montreal on Saturday night.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka celebrates after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium, left, moves the puck ahead of Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Detroit Red Wings left wing J.T. Compher, left, celebrates with left wing James van Riemsdyk, right, after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane celebrates after scoring his 500th career goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane celebrates after the team's win against the Vancouver Canucks in an NHL hockey game after scoring his 500th career goal Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)