2011 Movistar Open, Thomaz Bellucci vs Fabio Fognini, preview
Defending champion, Thomaz Bellucci, will play his quarterfinal match at the 2011 Movistar Open on Friday against Italian, Fabio Fognini.
Currently in its 18th edition, the Movistar Open is the first red clay event of the season. An ATP 250 event, it is held in Santiago, Chile and is the first tournament of the season to be held in South America.
Continuing his title defence at the event, Bellucci plays Fognini for the first time in his career. Ranked 54th in the world, Fognini’s fondness for the red clay surface outweighs his lower rank than Bellucci.
A clash of perhaps not the titans but somewhere up there, the match is going to be an exciting three setter.
Playing only his second ATP 250 level event of the year, Bellucci started the year playing at the 2011 Heineken Open in Auckland securing his first win of the year against American qualifier, Michael Russell.
Seeded seventh in the event, Bellucci made it all the way to the quarterfinal before losing to then unseeded, Santiago Giraldo.
Bellucci’s next stop in the year was the Grand Slam Down Under where he was seeded thirtieth in the main draw. Starting with a five set win against compatriot, Ricardo Mello in the first round, Bellucci was ousted in the second round by qualifier, Jan Hernych.
Sporting a meagre to date win loss of 3-2 and a career tally of 6-1 at the event, Bellucci started his run this week for the third straight year. Making his debut in 2009, Bellucci failed to go past the second round losing to then fourth seed, Jose Acasuso.
Returning the next year as the third seed, Bellucci made it all the way to the final where he defeated Juan Monaco to clinch his second career title.
Looking to defend his title, Bellucci started his run playing against Italian Filippo Volandri. Registering a twin set score of 6-2, 6-2, Bellucci was able to do away with Volandri to move ahead in the event.
His next opponent in the event was Portuguese Rui Machado. Surviving a mid match lapse, Bellucci was able to seal a three set win against Machado to make it into the final four. The next rung in the ladder is now Volandri’s compatriot, Fognini. Defeating
him, Bellucci will be able to make it into the final four.
Talking about his match with Fognini, Bellucci said, “I know Fabio quite well as we used to play in the juniors. As every match, it will be a difficult one, but I look forward to it and to try to get closer to the final”.
Fognini, a 2010 Challenger titlist here, is looking to make it into the final to secure his first ever maiden title win. Having made it all the way to the quarterfinals in his debut in 2008, Fognini set the bar quite high for himself as he came crashing
out of the event in the first round the next year. Absent from the event in 2010, Fognini holds a level 2-2 career win loss mark for the event.
Fognini also sports a disappointing 0-3 win loss mark for the year so far since he suffered first round exits in the season opener at Doha when he lost to eventual finalist Nikolay Davydenko and then at the Heineken Open in Auckland when he lost to eventual
finalist, David Nalbandian.
Fognini also exited the Australian Open in the first round as he lost to Kei Nishikori.
Fognini’s first tour win of the year came at the event this week when he defeated Pole Lukasz Kubot in straight, yet not so simple, sets victory. Extending his run to a two match winning streak, Fognini bounced back from being one set down against Albert
Ramos Vinolas to make it to the final eight.
Prediction: Although the rank disparity doesn’t come into play when talking about these two, it can be said to a certain degree of surety that given Fognini’s run in the year so far that it would take a miracle for him to upset the defending
champion. Bellucci enjoying the crowd support more than the Italian, will probably move past the Italian to make it into the final four.
Tags: