Fabio Fognini cruises past Olivier Rochus to move into the quarterfinal – Studena Croatia Open 2011
Sixth seed Fabio Fognini of Italy crushed Olivier Rochus of Belgium with a breadstick to advance into the last eight of the Studena Croatia Open, an ATP World Tour 250 series event held on the clay courts in Umag, Croatia. He barely
sweated in the final set to pull out an easy 6-4, 6-1 victory over the Belgian on Thursday.
Ranked 38th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour rankings, Fognini showed exceptional skills to slay the Belgian, ranked 36 places below him, in straight sets on their second meeting. The Italian last battled
past Rochus at Indian Wells last year and after earning this victory, he extended lead in their head-to-head series by 2-0 and booked a final eight spot in this $570,000 event.
24-year-old Italian confidently entered the ITC Stella Maris and held his opening serve with exquisite forehands from his arsenal of skills. Although he lost his serve once but cashed in on half of the four breakpoint opportunities
to his advantage to win the opening set with a 6-4 score line. Fognini clobbered a much better first serve share of 66 percent as compared to Belgian’s 47 percent and registered an amazing 71 percent win on it.
The Arma di Taggia resident, Fognini improved his ways in the final set. He lost his serve once which was the only game he lost and bagged remaining six games to earn a breadstick. The Italian committed more double faults and a
lower first serve share but earned an impressive 69 percent win on it. He saved four out of five breakpoints conceded and converted four out of seven breakpoint chances to his advantage to earn this amazing 6-1 victory.
Fognini had an awesome run of form at the French Open where he made a quarter-final berth before retiring due to injury against the current world number one Novak Djokovic. He then led his country to glory at the David cup against
Slovenia. Before this he had an awful season. However, the Italian made a semi-final berth at Santiago in January and reached the quarters at Casablanca in March.
Up next for Fognini is his compatriot, Potito Starace who stunned top seeded Argentinean Juan Ignacio Chela in a three set thriller to reach this spot.
The Italian saved five out of six breakpoints conceded and cashed in on half of the ten breakpoint opportunities to his advantage to register a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 score line in two hours and twenty-eight minutes. Starace committed fewer
double faults and unforced errors which made the difference.
Tags: