By Alberto Amalfi | Sunday, May 14, 2017
John Isner boomed 32 aces toppling Albert Ramos-Vinolas, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-1 in his Rome opener.
Photo credit: Getty
John Isner lit up Rome’s red clay.
Isner served 76 percent and blasted 32 aces defeating 14th-seeded Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-1, to advance to the Rome second round against either Florian Mayer or qualifier Thiago Monteiro.
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It was Isner’s first clay-court match since he fell to Ernesto Escobedo in the Houston quarterfinals last month.
In an all-Italian clash, Fabio Fognini breezed by wild card Matteo Berrettini, 6-1, 6-3.
The 29th-ranked Fognini won 19 of 21 points played on his first serve and did not face a break point in the 70-minute victory.
Next up for Fognini is a second-round date with world No. 1 Andy Murray.
The reigning Rome champion has won three of five meetings with Fognini, whose last win over Murray came on the red clay of Italy in the 2014 Davis Cup quarterfinals.
In an all-lefty battle, Fernando Verdasco dismissed Donald Young, 6-3, 6-3. Verdasco converted four of five break points in a 69-minute triumph to set up a potential clash with David Goffin if the ninth-seeded Belgian beats Brazilian lucky loser Thomaz Bellucci in his opener.
Czech left-hander Jiri Vesely overwhelmed Daniel Evans, 6-3, 6-1. Vesely, who owns a clay-court win over former No. 1 Novak Djokovic, will play either American Jack Sock or Argentine Diego Schwartzman next.