Federico Delbonis broke a two-match losing streak against Fabio Fognini on Friday at Roland Garros to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Delbonis was solid on first serve in a rain-interrupted clash to record a 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Italian 27th seed Fognini in two hours and six minutes on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
The 30-year-old Argentine broke Fognini’s serve six times and lost just 12 of his first-service points (42/54) to set up a Last 16 encounter against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain.
Delbonis is now 19-11 on the season, having reached the semi-finals at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open (l. to Bagnis) and the quarterfinals as qualifier at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia (l. to Opelka).
Follow Live Scores At RolandGarros.com
Delbonis flew out of the blocks, racing into a 5-1 lead in the first set as he won 50 per cent of the points (5/10) on the Italian’s second serve. While he was pegged back to 5-4, he managed to serve it out and cruised through the second set in similar manner, winning four games in a row, saving all three break points he faced.
Fognini, who came into the contest having not dropped a set in Paris in victories over Marton Fucsovics and Gregoire Barrere of France, struggled to impose himself as Delbonis soaked up the pressure. Delbonis held serve to seal victory on his third match point. He now plays Davidovich Fokina, a 7-6(3), 2-6,7-6(6), 0-6, 7-5 winner over Norwegian 15th seed Casper Ruud.
Elsewhere, Nishikori overcame qualifier Henri Laaksonen to reach the fourth round in Paris for the seventh time in his career. World No. 150 Laaksonen was forced to retire after losing the first set 7-5 due to a thigh injury that he sustained at 2-2.
Japanese star Nishikori will be grateful, having won back-to-back matches in five sets against Alessandro Giannessi and Karen Khachanov. He has now spent more than eight hours on court and will now to prepare to face sixth-seed German Alexander Zverev, who beat Laslo Djere of Serbia 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 in two hours and eight minutes.
Nishikori hopes his shorter stint on court today will help him in the fourth round as he faces Zverev, an opponent he has lost to at both the Mutua Madrid Open and the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in recent weeks.
“[I will] look to recover well today and tomorrow," said Zverev. "Especially against Sascha. I have been lost to him [in his] last two tournaments. I am pretty sure I'm going to have some chances, but obviously he's good player and [a] tough player. So I have to figure it out a little bit with my coaches."
Delbonis was solid on first serve in a rain-interrupted clash to record a 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Italian 27th seed Fognini in two hours and six minutes on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
The 30-year-old Argentine broke Fognini’s serve six times and lost just 12 of his first-service points (42/54) to set up a Last 16 encounter against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain.
Delbonis is now 19-11 on the season, having reached the semi-finals at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open (l. to Bagnis) and the quarterfinals as qualifier at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia (l. to Opelka).
Follow Live Scores At RolandGarros.com
Delbonis flew out of the blocks, racing into a 5-1 lead in the first set as he won 50 per cent of the points (5/10) on the Italian’s second serve. While he was pegged back to 5-4, he managed to serve it out and cruised through the second set in similar manner, winning four games in a row, saving all three break points he faced.
Fognini, who came into the contest having not dropped a set in Paris in victories over Marton Fucsovics and Gregoire Barrere of France, struggled to impose himself as Delbonis soaked up the pressure. Delbonis held serve to seal victory on his third match point. He now plays Davidovich Fokina, a 7-6(3), 2-6,7-6(6), 0-6, 7-5 winner over Norwegian 15th seed Casper Ruud.
Elsewhere, Nishikori overcame qualifier Henri Laaksonen to reach the fourth round in Paris for the seventh time in his career. World No. 150 Laaksonen was forced to retire after losing the first set 7-5 due to a thigh injury that he sustained at 2-2.
Japanese star Nishikori will be grateful, having won back-to-back matches in five sets against Alessandro Giannessi and Karen Khachanov. He has now spent more than eight hours on court and will now to prepare to face sixth-seed German Alexander Zverev, who beat Laslo Djere of Serbia 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 in two hours and eight minutes.
Nishikori hopes his shorter stint on court today will help him in the fourth round as he faces Zverev, an opponent he has lost to at both the Mutua Madrid Open and the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in recent weeks.
“[I will] look to recover well today and tomorrow," said Zverev. "Especially against Sascha. I have been lost to him [in his] last two tournaments. I am pretty sure I'm going to have some chances, but obviously he's good player and [a] tough player. So I have to figure it out a little bit with my coaches."