Fabio Fognini swept aside World Number 1 and Rome defending champion Andy Murray 6-2 6-4 in the second round at the Internazionali d’Italia in front of Rome enthusiastic fans, who packed the Centre Court at the famous Foro Italico. Fognini hit 23 forehand winners. Fognini has become the first Italian player to beat the World Number 1 since Filippo Volandri beat Roger Federer in Rome in 2007. Murray is the first defending champion to lose in the second round in Rome since 2008, when Rafa Nadal lost to Juan Carlos Ferrero in his opening match.
Fognini played one of the best matches of his career. Fognini and Murray met for the sixth time. Fognini beat Murray for the third time and the biggest in his career in terms of ranking. He scored his fourth win against top-5 players and the second this year after beating Kei Nishikori in Miami, where he reached his first Masters 1000 semifinals. Fognini saved four of the five break points he faced and dropped his serve only once and closed out the match with a hold of serve in the 10th game.
At 30-30 Fognini hits a deep forehand winner to take the game to deuce. The Scotsman nets to hand Fognini an early break point but saved it with an ace. Murray faced a second break point but saved it with his backhand. Fognini converted his third break point after a seven-minute first game.
Fognini hits an ace to go up 40-0 before held his service game to 30 to take a 2-0 lead. Fognini earned another break point chance, as Murray netted his backhand at 30-30. Murray saved the first opportunity, but Murray earned a second break point. Fognini went up a double break and held serve to love to race out to a 4-0 lead.
Murray held serve to 15 to get his first game on the scoreboard. The World Number 1 earned a break point chance. Fognini saved it with a deep backhand winner and held his service game with a volley.
Murray held serve to 30 but Fognini was serving for the first set. The Italian star closed out the first set with a hold to love.
In the second set Murray hits a backhand winner but Fognini held serve to 30. Fognini hits his backhand into the net at 30-30 in the third game. The Italian hits another winner at deuce to earn a break point chance and got the break to take a 2-1 lead, as Murray sent a backhand long.
Fognini backed up the break to open up a 3-1 lead. Fognini earned two break points and got the break on his second opportunity to race out to a 4-1 lead with a forehand winner.
At 30-30 in the sixth game Murray hit an ace before holding serve for 2-5. As Fognini served for the match, Murray earned two match points but Fognini saved them. Murray got his first break of the match on his third chance and won his service game at deuce for 4-5.
As Fognini was serving for the match, he hit another drop shot to earn two match points and closed it out on his first opportunity. Fognini dedicated his win to his wife Flavia Pennetta, who will give birth to their first child in the next few days.
Fognini scored his 10th win against a top 10 player in 56 matches played during his career. He set up a third round match against Next Gen player Alexander Zverev or Viktor Troicki.
“I am really happy about my performance. I played really good tennis, starting from the beginning to the end. It is always difficult to play Andy because he is number one in the world. I don’t always play my best tennis in Rome, so I am really happy about my performance, about the crowd that supported me during the match. Hopefully I can recover now and play another good match. Andy never stops running and he is the best defender in the world, so I am really happy to beat him in Rome”, said Fognini.
