Two victories and one defeat: is the outcome of the day for Italian men’s grass tennis Eastbourne and Mallorcawho sees them partying Flavio Cobolli (first career overall victory on grass) e Lorenzo Sonegowhile it forces Luciano Darderi at the stop after a good performance against the Austrian Ofner. Tomorrow for two Italians it will already be time for the round of 16: waiting for the big names to make their entrance Wimbledon (Therefore Sinner, Musetti and Berrettini), the middle grass Europe continues to color blue.
Sonego leaves no chance for lucky loser Searle
The victory of Sonego at Eastbourne against Henry Searlelast minute replacement for the injured person Alejandro Davidovich-Fokinawas rather easy, also because over 500 positions difference in the rankings (the Briton is number 568 ATP) were somehow visible. The final 6-3 6-2 is a nice boost of confidence for the Turin player, who he beat in the first round last week in Halle Kecmanovic and then give in to Zverev.
This time, in short, the prediction was respected, albeit with an initial thrill: Searle really has nothing to lose and immediately finds the break at the start of the match, to whom however Lorenzo replies immediately restoring balance immediately. The excellent percentages with the first (he fields 90%) help Sonny, who as the minutes went by gained confidence and fluency, finding three break points in the fourth game (all of which however were cancelled) before making the second break of the day in the sixth game, then managing to finalize the set without too many worries.
In the second the break comes in the third game, while on the Turin player’s service rounds the points won by Searle can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The final 6-2 leaves no room for recriminations: tomorrow it will be the Australian Max Purcell the rival of Sonego, who won 83% of the points with the first and 75% with the second. In short, all positive signs.
Cobolli, the party is here: first victory on grass
The same ones he reports Flavio Cobolli, who had never won on grass after the knockouts. Of Stuttgart (against Struff) And Halle (against Hurkacz). This time the slightly more benevolent draw was exploited positively: Rinderknech he is not a comfortable client on the surface so dear to the British, but at least within the reach of the Roman and Roma player, who was able to interpret the match well and try to keep the pace high.
The Frenchman made a lot of mistakes, especially in key moments: two double faults on as many break points (the second even on match point) showed that the arm was shaking, unlike the one that was decidedly more tight Cobolli. Which he knew in the first set seize the right moment, hitting a good game in the sixth game in which he went up 15-40, then benefiting from his rival’s serious error on serve. Even with some mental worries, in turn suffering the counter break in the ninth game, Flavius he was able to make the most of another missed pass by Rinderknech, who in the tenth game lost a couple of exchanges at the net which rewarded the Italian’s courage.
In the second the match remains very vibrant: in the third game the Frenchman finds the break, right away though sent back to the sender by a perky and never tamed Cobolli. Who has to cancel a very dangerous set ball on his serve at 5-4, but then finds the strength to put it against the ropes Arthur, who actually begins to make a lot of mistakes and ends up complicating his life in the twelfth game, when he nullifies the good things he did in the previous games on his own serve, losing 7-5. Tomorrow Cobolli will challenge the young man Hussey, another lucky loser dreaming on the lawns of home.
Darderi, what a shame: Ofner wins with an ace (14)
Luciano Darderi he could do nothing against the more expert Sebastian Ofner, grenadier in service (14 aces of the day for the Austrian) and good at exploiting the few missed passes of the Italian-Argentine, who had beaten him Cordoba in February (but on the beloved land).
Luciano played it openly: he didn’t take advantage of a break point at the beginning, but then in the sixth game he struggled to get in with the first and Ofner made it enough, closing the set 6-3. In the second the break comes in the third game, then promptly confirmed to the sound of aces. But a half illusion arrives at 5-4, when Ofner suddenly he jams and with a backhand long line of applause Darderi find the point that is worth the break and the draw. Except that in the next game the Austrian raises the engine speed again and there is no way to reply: another break and comfortable closure at 7-5.
