Fabio Fognini moves into round 2 as Tommy Robredo retires – Erste Bank Open 2011
Fabio Fognini, Italian world No.44, also seeded eighth for Erste Bank Open 2011, won his opening round match against Tommy Robredo, Spanish world No.47, after the 29-year-old pulled out in set 3 with a left leg injury. Playing
on hard courts, Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Fognini captivated his 7-6(7), 5-7, 2-1 in two hours and nine minutes before the Spaniard retired.
Winning the service toss Robredo stood to serve the match opener, captivating and rolling down the scoreboard with a triple game point winner, 1-1. Replying back with a similar beating, Fognini levelled up bagging game 2 and stood
to return again, 1-1.
Battling out games and winning of respective serve, none of the two were able to break each other. Levelling up at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5, the set eventually went into a tiebreaker. Serving first for the tiebreaker, the Italian
levelled up every time Robredo went into lead.
Finally, breaking two last points, 9-7, Fognini swirled away winning the tiebreaker and set one, 7-6(7), to lead the match, 1-0.
In set two, the Italian ignited with a super triple game point winner, 1-0, however, the Spaniard followed with a win right away. With the two winning games on respective serves and unable to break each other, levelled up at 2-2,
3-3, and then at 4-4 before Fognini struck back.
Leading the set 5-4, Robredo lost a return game, game 10, with the Italian levelling up next. Hoping to finish off in straight sets, Spaniard world No.47 was slammed down in game 11 as the 24-year-old Italian broke his rival and
served out game 12 of the set, 7-5, winning the set and equalling up the match scores as well, 1-1.
Moving on with the final showdown of the match, Fognini served first again, however, was unable to pull of any easy winners this time, 1-0. Levelling up next, Robredo pulled of his first win of the decider, however, fell down while
returning, 1-1.
Feeling a bit difficult to play due to the fall, Spaniard lost an easy double game point winner, game 3, 2-1, and served next to slam an equalizer. However, breaking down in pain, Robredo could not continue as he suffered from
a injury in his left leg.
Through into round two of Erste Bank Open 2011, Fognini, seeded eighth in the ATP World Tour 250 event, will play Xavier Malisse for a seat in the round of 8.
Tags: