Fabio Fognini (Ansa)

  • Australian Open: Fognini wins again, Berrettini and Sinner eliminated
  • Australian Open: Fognini show. Next also Sinner, Seppi and Giorgi

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January 24, 2020 And there are three! For the third time in his career Fabio Fognini takes off the pass for the round of 16 of the Australian Open, the first Slam of the season. After the two marathons in the fifth, up to the super tiebreak, of the last few days that have allowed the blue to eliminate Reilly Opelka and Jordan Thompson and to continue their journey on Australian concrete, Fognini gets rid of Guido Pella in a simpler and faster way . In 2 hours and 12 minutes of play, the winner of Montecarlo beat the Argentine in three sets, number 25 in the ranking and 22 in the seeding, with the score 7-6 (0), 6-2, 6-3.

In the next round, the Italian tennis player will face American Tennys Sandgren, number 100 in the world, who has always beaten in three sets, all won with a score of 6-4, compatriot Sam Querrey. Three of the precedents between the two, with the blue that commands 2-1 but the last confrontation, which dates back to the last Wimbledon tournament, has just recorded the knockout of the number 12 Atp. To be avenged, for Fabio, there is therefore the defeat of last summer but also the colleague Matteo Berrettini, eliminated by the American in the second round of this Australian tournament.

Novak Djokovic is also moving forward without problems. The Serbian, reigning champion and number 2 in the ranking and the scoreboard, clearly surpassed the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka, number 71 Atp, with the score of 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in an hour and 27 minutes of game. Djokovic thus reaches the round of 16 for the fiftieth time in 60 slams played. Nole's next opponent, Diego Schwartzman. The Argentine, number 14 on the scoreboard, overtook Serbian Dusan Lajovic, number 24 Atp, in 6-2, 6-3, 7-6.

Much effort and many more thrills for Roger Federer. The host John Millman, until the last breath, keeps the match in great balance against the number 3 in the world that passes to the second round only to the supertiebreak of the fifth. The Australian tennis player made a strong start with his first set 6-4 before fighting point by point in the second with the Swiss player who brought the challenge back in a tie winning him 7-6 (2). The third still bears the signature of King Roger who, with a score of 6-4, goes ahead. Margin, however, filled by Millman who with the same score refers the verdict to the fifth set. In the last part of the game we arrive, in fact, up to the supetiebreak that the former number 1 in the world manages to snatch 7-6 (8). Now it is time to reflect on the reasons for so much effort before facing Marton Fucsovics. The Hungarian conquered the round of 16 by beating American Tommy Paul easily in three sets (6-1, 6-1, 6-4).

Stefanos Tsitsipas, however, greets the Australian Open in the third round. The number 6 in the ATP ranking must be surrendered to Milos Raonic, number 35 in the world with a score of 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (2) in 2 hours and 30 minutes of play. The Canadian thus qualifies for the next stage for the seventh time in his career and waiting for him at the next step is the Croatian Marin Cilic who in 5 sets eliminated the Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut. The Spanish tennis player, number 9 of the ATP ranking, yields to the Croatian in five sets after a tough game, resolved by the number 39 after more than 4 hours and 13 minutes of battle with the result of 6-7, 6-4, 6-0, 5-7, 6-3.

If the King remains in Australia, the Open greets his queen. Serena Williams, 7 times winner in Melbourne and number 8 on the scoreboard, was eliminated 6-4, 6-7, 7-5, in 2 hours and 41 minutes, by the Chinese Qiang Wang (number 29) and has to postpone another once the appointment with the 24th Grand Slam title that would make her reach the absolute record of Margaret Court. Cori Gauff, however, has become the protagonist of a real enterprise. The 15 year old American annihilates 6-3, 6-4 the Japanese Naomi Osaka, seeded number 3 of the Melbourne scoreboard and number 4 of the WTA ranking, in an hour and 8 minutes. A feat that catapults Gauff, already capable of eliminating Venus Williams in the first round, in the round of 16 where the American Sofia Kenin (number 15) will challenge who eliminated the Chinese Shuai Zhang (number 35) 7-5, 7-6 (7 ).

No problem for the home champion Ashleigh Barty. The number 1 in the world has regulated in 2 sets (6-3, 6-2) the Kazakh Elena Rybakina, number 26 Wta. Also the Czech Petra Kvitova, number 7 in the ranking, wins over the Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, number 28 Wta (6-1, 6-2). Caroline Wozniacki also leaves the scene. The Danish, number 36 in the ranking and former number 1, was defeated by the Tunisian Ons Jabuer, number 78 Wta (7-5, 3-6, 7-5) not only leaves the tournament but definitely tennis, as she announced at end of last season. Camila Giorgi on the field tomorrow, the only blue in the third round, against number 17 of the seeding Angelique Kerber.