Fabio Fognini overcame Dominic Thiem 6-4 7-6 (7-5) to earn his first win in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia at the Foro Italico in Rome.
Fognini has improved his win-loss record to 2-3 in his head-to-head matches against Thiem, who was seeking his first win since reaching the third round in Rome last year.
Fognini had to save a break point in the second game and two more chances in the fourth game. The Italian player converted his second break point in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead and served it out on his second set point in the next game.
Fognini earned a break in the seventh game of the second set to take a 4-3 lead, as Thiem sent his forehand into the net.
Fognini served for the win and held a match point at 5-4, before Thiem broke back for the first time on his seventh break point of the match. Thiem fired a forehand return winner to fend off the match point before holding serve at love with an ace in the 11th game. Fognini held serve at love to force the second set to tie-break.
Fognini dropped the first point of the tie-break, but he earned a mini-break lead twice to take a 5-3 lead, but Thiem pulled back on serve for the second time to draw level to 5-5.
Fognini won the final two games and sealed the win on his first match point, as Thiem made a forehand error.
“I am happy because I won. It’s never easy playing against a great champion. I am happy to be here and have another chance to play in this great atmosphere. It’s always difficult, especially because now I am 35. Physically I am quite OK. I feel good when I run. Of course I need to do some things on my game, try to push harder because conditions are really slow. These kind of conditions are tough for everyone”, said Fognini.
