Italian to face De Minaur in third round
Fabio Fognini is no stranger to five-set matches. The Italian has contested 36 of them throughout his career (23-13), which now includes seven encounters at the Australian Open.
Fognini stepped onto John Cain Arena on Thursday holding a three-match winning streak in five-set clashes at the opening major championship of the year, and he extended that run to four victories by saving match point to overcome countryman Salvatore Caruso 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(12).
With neither player able to break serve in a fifth set which lasted 85 minutes, Fognini and Caruso required a Match Tie-break to decide the outcome of the match. Fognini trailed 1/5 in the match decider and saved match point at 10/11 with patience in an extended baseline rally.
Zverev, Struff seal Germany s spot in ATP Cup semi-finals
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Semi-finals to be held simultaneously on Saturday morning
After three thrilling days of group ties, four nations last year’s finalist Spain, Russia, Germany and Italy remain in contention for the ATP Cup trophy.
Can Russia’s two Top 10 stars Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev continue their strong performances and beat Germany, led by Alexander Zverev? Mischa Zverev’s line-up are proving that team unity and arcade fun each evening can lead to on-court success and a place in the semi-finals.
Spain will look to Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Carreno Busta to fly the flag, with vocal support on the sidelines from Rafael Nadal, in its quest to break down the Italian potency of Matteo Berrettini and Fabio Fognini, who completed Group C with a perfect 2-0 record.
The Russian stars have guided their country into the ATP Cup semi-finals
It was clear Russia, as the only country with two Top 10 singles players, would be dangerous at this year’s ATP Cup. Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev have more than lived up to those expectations.
They have become a two-headed monster in Melbourne.
There are 12 countries in the field, and only Russia has not lost a set in singles. They haven’t come particularly close to doing so, either. Before the event, Russian captain Evgeny Donskoy said, “With these guys, it s pretty easy to be a captain.”
Boy was Donskoy right. Medvedev has earned nine service breaks in his two matches against elite opponents in World No. 9 Diego Schwartzman and former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori. Rublev has picked up where he left off in 2020, when he won an ATP Tour-leading five titles. The big-hitting righty has lost a combined seven games in four sets against Guido Pella and Yoshihito Nishioka.
Uruguayan-Ecuadorian duo lifted first ATP Tour trophy in Delray Beach
Ariel Behar and Gonzalo Escobar have started the year on the right foot after taking home their first ATP Tour title at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com.
Playing in their first tour-level championship match on Wednesday, Behar and Escobar edged past brothers Christian Harrison and Ryan Harrison to win 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 10-4.
“This doesn’t happen every day. We want it to happen a lot of times, but today we’re going to have fun and enjoy it,” Behar said after the match. “And then focus on Australia that we have to travel to early.”
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