Blackout stops play in Rome as tennis world reels over demolition job

Everything suddenly went dark in Rome as tennis stars scratched their heads over the latest twist to a season that has been plagued by setbacks.

The lights went out on Kei Nishikori's tournament too.

A blackout didn’t interrupt Lorenzo Musetti’s rhythm as he continued his giant-killing run in Rome by defeating Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-4.

The 18-year-old backed up his straight-sets win over 10th seed Stan Wawrinka in the first round of the Italian Open with another classy win over former world No. 4 Nishikori.

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With the Japanese star serving at 4-4 in the second set, the lights went out at the venue — literally — and there was a short break in play on multiple courts until power returned.

As tennis scribe Ben Rothenberg tweeted: “Well if this doesn’t sum up 2020...”

Italian Musetti was all business upon the resumption and the teenager sealed his place in the third round — as well as a guaranteed top-200 ranking next week.

“Wawrinka and Nishikori are champions. I’m really happy,” he said.

#IBI20 (🎥@Eurosport_RU ) pic.twitter.com/uABOZd2ag8

— doublefault28 (@doublefault28) September 17, 2020

Musetti’s victory comes after Victoria Azarenka stunned everybody with a 6-0 6-0 demolition of reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.

Azarenka, who lost to Naomi Osaka in the US Open final on the weekend, had no hangover from her Flushing Meadows disappointment as she crushed the young American, who was also her doubles partner in the New York bubble recently.

“Wouldn’t believe it but I watched it,” New York Times tennis writer Christopher Clarey tweeted. “A combination of Azarenka’s sparkling form and Kenin’s serious disarray.

“That is, by the way, also clearly no way to treat your doubles partner.”

Fellow tennis writer Tumaini Carayol called the result “incredible” while commentator Jose Morgado simply said: “Yikes.”

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Kenin (left) had no answers to Azarenka.