By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, May 12, 2023
There's no place like home.
Gliding across the red clay with backyard burst, Fabio Fognini continues to celebrate his Rome return playing his most dynamic tennis of the season.
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Wild card Fognini won 15 of 20 trips to net carving up Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 7-6(6) to reach the Rome round of 32 with some superb shotmaking.
Cheered on by a packed and roaring home crowd that included his wife, 2015 US Open champion Flavia Pennetta, and the couple's son, Federico, Fognini backed up his opening-round win over nemesis Andy Murray with confident tennis today.
It marks the first time since April of 2022 Fognini has scored successive Tour-level singles victories.
The 35-year-old Italian showed his closing skills in the front court and drove daggers down the line from the backcourt. Fognini fired nearly 20 more winners (35 to 16) and did not face a break point beating Kecmanovic for the second time in as many meetings.
Afterward, Fognini blew a kiss to his box and got a hug from son Federico, who ran out onto court to see his famous father.
The 130th-ranked Fognini will face either seventh-seeded Holger Rune or French qualifier Arthur Fils next. Fognini is playing for his first Rome round of 16 appearance since 2019.
Photo credit: Internazionali BNL d'Italia