Tennis, Open Bnl Italia: Fognini and Sonego stop

2020-09-17T20:01:58.452Z

Fabio Fognini and Lorenzo Sonego try but can't make it to be the fourth blue to reach the round of 16 of the Open Bnl d'Italia (Berrettini and Travaglia - who will be protagonists of a derby - and Sinner, waiting for Musetti on the pitch tonight): the Ligurian, who entered the race directly in the second round, was defeated 7-5 7-6 (4), in exactly two hours, by the French Ugo Humbert, while the Turin was overtaken by the Norwegian Casper Ruud with score of 6-3 6-4. Fognini, who returned to the circuit last week in Kitzbuhel, is still looking for an acceptable condition after having undergone surgery on both ankles at the end of May. In the first set the blue takes a break advantage three times against an opponent a little uncomfortable on the "red". While moving very little and badly, Fognini manages to remain attached to Humbert until the twelfth game when he gives up the bar to zero, and the set. In the second half the blue, nervous and frustrated at not being able to express his tennis, recovers from 1-3 to 3 all. But then he suffers the break again in the eighth game allowing Humbert to move up 5-3. But with a partial of 8 points to 1 Fognini, supported by coach Barazzutti, reopens the match (5-5). To decide is the tie-break: Fognini remains attacked up to four all, but then makes three mistakes in a row and greets Rome while Humbert will face the Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the second round, who beat the Spaniard Martinez with a double 6-4. The Ligurian is still satisfied: "I'm 99% happy because I made a big step forward even compared to last week, it was the main goal of this match, 1% is instead for the final result, the defeat, even if I would have deserved at least the third set. A match of this level gives me hope for the future, being the second after the operation ". The Ligurian, who also looks forward to the exponential progress of Giovine Italia, looks ahead to Rome. "I am very happy to see other players grow in Italy". Also greets Rome Lorenzo Sonego beaten 6-3, 6-4 by the Norwegian Casper Ruud. Bad start for Sonego, who gives up the first two batting rounds and is below 0-4. The Turin player recovers them with a lot of character, but wastes everything in the eighth game, when he hands himself over again to Ruud who closes 6-3. In the second set the blue again gives up his service in the fifth game: it is the fatal break for the 6-4 with which the Norwegian flies to the second round in an hour and 47 'of play.