Ladies and Gentlemen, we give you the Fabulous Fognini.
Watch and try to keep your jaw from dropping as the Italian rips off this incredible backhand during his 6-3 6-4 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Monday evening in Rome.
It was a big victory for Fognini because he is defending quarter-final points at Rome and he had never defeated Tsonga on a clay court before. Fognini improves to 2-4 lifetime against Tsonga and will face either Benoit Paire or Radu Albot in the second round.
It was also a tough day for Gael Monfils, who fell to Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3 6-1 and seemed to suffer a knee injury in the process.
It was the Spaniard’s first victory over Monfils in four tries.
In other action on Monday at the Foro Italico, 13th-seeded Borna Coric defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7(4) 6-3 6-4 while 16th-seeded Marco Cecchinato took out Alex de Minaur 4-6 6-3 6-1.
It was de Minaur’s 5th consecutive loss.
Denis Shapovalov (d. Carreno Busta), Casper Ruud (d. Evans), Cameron Norrie (d. Millman), Fernando Verdasco (d. Edmund) and Karen Khachanov (d. Sonego) were also winners.
Edmunds’s losing streak has now reached five matches.