Lorenzi Sets Fognini Match-Up In Moscow
Lorenzi Sets Fognini Match-Up In Moscow
Italians will face off for the fourth time
Italian Paolo Lorenzi swept his countryman and lucky loser Federico Gaio 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday to move into the second round at the VTB Kremlin Cup in Moscow. The seventh-seeded Lorenzi will next face another Italian in Fabio Fognini, who improved to 2-0 in his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Ricardas Berankis by winning 6-1, 6-2 in 58 minutes.
Fognini leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Lorenzi 2-1, but Lorenzi won the last time they played, on clay at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters earlier this season.
Sixth seed Pablo Carreno Busta prevailed against Austrian qualifier Jurgen Melzer 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(2) after two hours and 16 minutes. The Spaniard won 70 per cent of his first-serve points.
In a battle of Serbians, Dusan Lajovic earned two crucial service breaks to outlast Janko Tipsarevic 7-6(4), 6-4. “We are very good friends,” Lajovic said. “On court, we had to fight… I’m happy that I won. It’s always tough to play against a good friend.”
The 26-year-old Lajovic faces third seed Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round. Russian qualifier Daniil Medvedev also advanced when Mikhail Kukushkin retired down 6-4, 4-0. Medvedev faces fourth seed Viktor Troicki next.