Neymar also applauded Fabio Fognini, winner of the first round of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters 2022, in three sets over Arthur Renderknech.
The land of the Principality gives Fabio Fognini a minimum of tranquility. In a sport made up almost purely of sensations it is not even a coincidence.
The winner of the 2019 edition, at the first lacing of shoes on clay-courts in Europe after the 4-2 in South America, between predictable ups and downs, knocks down Arthur Renderknech’s resistance to the threshold of two and a half hours of play and at least detaches a pass for the second round for the ninth time in his career.
The 7-5 4-6 6-3 final is emblematic: the challenge with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who did not approach the first segment of the season in a perfect way, is less closed than what the ranking says. The Italian player recovers a break from a disadvantage on two occasions during the inaugural fraction, before breaking the balance at the foot of the jeu decisif, but still fails to remedy a false start in the second.
Even if in reality at 2-3 he gets five chances to get back on track. It all happens between the fourth and sixth game in the deciding set. Fognini survived the triptych break-controbreak-break with ringworm, hoisted himself on 5-2 with authority and called to serve for the match condenses the vast majority of attentions.
Rejected the attempt of Rinderknech (who faces 15-40 among other things) at the first useful opportunity the Taggiasco talent closes on 7-5 4-6 6-3 and reaches at least the second round. Waiting for him in the second round, as mentioned by Stefanos Tsitsipas, who closed the Sunshine Doubles in North America with three wins and two defeats, but who is trivially 3-0 in the head-to-head.
Only in one case, however, did he find Fognini on clay-courts. Also to be recorded in the first part of the day are the successes of Sebastian Korda and the expert Albert Ramos Vinolas, finalist in 2018, who, albeit with difficulty, survives the challenge with Tallon Grieekspor. Forfeit Gael Monfils, who renounces the challenge with Hubert Hurkacz and leaves room for Hugo Dellien due to a physical problem.