Bitter tie-break fair for Bolelli and Vavassori in Rome: blue derby goes to Bondioli and Caniato

The adventure of Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli at the Internazionali d’Italia ends in the round of 16. Indeed, the number five seeded players were defeated in an all-Italian derby by compatriots Federico Bondioli and Carlo Alberto Caniato by the score of 7-6 6-7 10-8, after about two hours of play.

Total balance reigned in the first set with all four players being adept at holding their respective turnovers. The match thus slips to the tie-break, where it is Bondioli and Caniato who place the’decisive stretch on 7-5.

The first set is the most balanced of the two sets.

In the second set it is the two Italian qualifiers who get off to a better start, finding the first break in the fifth game. Bolelli and Vavassori’s reaction, however, was not long in coming, as in the sixth game the world number five found the counter-break at zero. At that point, complete equilibrium returned until the tie-break, which was won by the Bolognese and the Piedmontese with a score of 12-10.

The super tie-break also continued point-to-point, with both pairs managing to hold serve. In the closing stages, however, it is Vavassori and Bolelli who are the first to make mistakes, and Bondioli and Caniato take advantage of this to place the decisive mini-break, which gives them the match on the score of 10-8.

The match is won by the Bolognese and the Piedmontese.