Italy comes close to qualifying for the round of 16 at the ATP250 in Mallorca. Fabio Fognini and Luca Darderi are the two Italians who advance to the next round on grass, but nothing can be done for Luca Nardi, forced to surrender in the third set against the Australian Rinky Hjikata: 2-6,6-2,5-7 the final result at the end of two hours of a rather hard-fought match between the almost equals – in position 73 and 75 respectively – in the ATP ranking. They thought about bringing the tricolor to the next round Fabio Fognini, who took part in the tournament using a wild card, and Luca Darderi, both with the result two sets to zero.
Fognini beats Browuer: he will face one of Eubanks or Mensik
The 37-year-old Ligurian reached the round of 16 of the ATP250 with no small amount of difficulty. Keeping up with him on the other side of the net, Gijs Brouwer, at position 190 in the ranking. The match on grass proved to be anything but predictable, despite the final 2-0 scored by Fognini: The final result was 7-6,7-6, with both sets decided in a tiebreak – 7-4 the first and 7-5 the second – with the Italian granting himself two matchpoint balls, putting the final word on the match with the third. Waiting for him in the next round will be the winner of the challenge between Christopher Eubanksfresh from the quarterfinals in Halle and above all reigning champion in Mallorca, and Jacub Mensik. The verdict for the Italian tennis player will come at the end of the match scheduled for tomorrow morning.
Darderi doesn’t disappoint: Martinez beaten, now head to Ofner
Luca Darderi also ended up in the round of 16 of the ATP250. The 22-year-old n.37 ATP prevailed over the Spaniard Pedro Martinez by two sets to zero: 5-7,5-7 the result at the end of a two-hour match. The next challenger of the Italian tennis player will be the Austrian Sebastian Ofner, n.54 ATP who eliminated the Spaniard Jaume Munar by two sets to one. The Italians’ path will continue in the footsteps of Fognini and Darderi in Mallorca, in an ATP250 that will not be free from possible surprises.
