Fabio Fognini advances in Umag: “It was very hard.”

Fabio Fognini, winning debut in Umag

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Fabio Fognini started off on the right foot at the Umag ATP 250. The Ligurian, in fact, overcame in two sets Frenchman Luca Van Assche, number 102 in the ATP ranking, with the final score of 6-4 6-3 after one hour and fifty-one minutes of play.

"È it was a very tough match,” admitted the Italian after the match, “but I am very happy with how I managed to handle it. I do not speak English, there are many Italians here in Umag. I knew that against Van Assche it would be a tough and long match, but I am happy to have reached the round of 16".

In the next round Fognini will face Taiwan’s Chun-Hsin Tseng, number 159 in the world rankings, who was repechaged as a lucky loser due to the forfeit of Dane Holger Rune, stopped by a left wrist problem.

On Tuesday, among the Italians involved in the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag is Luciano Darderi, who will challenge Croatian Duje Ajdukovic, number 110 in the ATP ranking, in his debut.