A late-night tennis match at the Italian Open faced an unusual interruption when fireworks from Inter Milan's Coppa Italia celebrations at the neighboring Stadio Olimpico filled the air with smoke. Officials halted play for nearly 20 minutes as the smoke drifted across the venue, creating hazardous conditions for players and spectators.

20th-ranked Darderi eventually overcame Jodar 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 6-0 after three hours and eight minutes of play. The match, already delayed by rain earlier in the day, didn't begin until nearly 11pm. Darderi dominated the deciding set, converting three of nine break points to secure what he called "the best win of my career."

The victory propels Darderi into his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, where he'll face Norway's Casper Ruud. Meanwhile, Jodar's remarkable rise continues - ranked outside the top 700 less than a year ago, he now sits at 34 in the world rankings.

The incident serves as a reminder of how Rome's major sporting venues can create unexpected cross-sport drama during championship celebrations.