By Chris Oddo | Saturday September 29, 2018
Fabio Fognini's continued his fine 2018 campaign on Saturday by notching his 40th win and claiming his spot in the Chengdu final.
Photo Source: Chengdu Open
It’s Fabio Fognini’s best season, and the Italian is showing no signs of slowing down as the clock winds down on the 2018 campaign.
On Saturday the 31-year-old powered past American Taylor Fritz after dropping the first set to book his spot in his fourth final of the season, 6-7(5), 6-0, 6-3.
Fognini has already won three titles this season and he’ll bid to become the first Italian to ever claim four ATP titles in a single season on Sunday when he meets Bernard Tomic in the final.
The resurgent Australian took out Portugal’s Joao Sousa 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday. He moves into his first final since 2016 and is assured of a return to the Top 100 next week.
Already playing at a career-best ranking of 13 in the world, Fognini can’t go any higher with a title, but he’s No.11 in the Race to London and has a shot to become the first Italian to crack the Top 10 since the 1970’s by the end of the season.
In the meantime the red-hot top seed will set his sights on winning his ninth career title—he was won all three finals he has contested this season in Sao Paulo, Bastad and Los Cabos.
"It is my best year so far. I am really happy that the first time I visit Chengdu, I am in my first final," said Fognini, who improved to 40-18 on the season and is just two wins shy of career-best win total of 42, which he achieved in 2013.
"I am happy because it was a great match," said Fognini. "I returned really well and was moving better and better. I am happy to be in the final here in Chengdu."