US Open, Fabio Fognini’s feat fails: Rafa Nadal wins

2-6 6-4 6-2 6-1 the score in favor of the Manacor left-hander.

Facing each other again on the American concrete at Flushing Meadows seven years after their only previous encounter in the New York Slam – on that occasion, the Italian’s comeback was epic, winning in the fifth set after losing the first two partials – Fabio Fognini and Rafa Nadal produced a very different match from the now historic one of 2015.

After winning the first set 6-2 and displaying some excellent tennis, the Ligurian tennis player gradually waned in the distance, leaving the court to the more titled head coach. Some regret, however, for the course of the second set, is legitimate to have, because after a consecutive series of no less than five games in which the two snatched each other’s service, Fognini had gone up 4-2, only to give up 4-6.

In the third and subsequent fourth sets then, Nadal took the lead, prevailing with a clear 6-2 6-1 and promptly nullifying the sporadic chances Fognini had to get back into the match. After two hours and 58′ of play, the Spanish tennis player thus triumphs and enters the third round where he will face another circuit veteran, France’s Richard Gasquet.