No. 6 seed Fabio Fognini has progressed to the Intrum Stockholm Open round two. Italy's Fognini defeated Tunisian tennis player Malek Jaziri on Tuesday 7-5 6-1. It was the first-ever meeting between the two.
Jaziri, 33, broke Fognini in the opening game of the match. Fognini saved four break points but couldn't save the fifth in the first game. Fognini, 30, broke Jaziri in the eighth game to make it 4-4.
The decisive break of serve in the 12th game handed Fognini the first set.
Fognini continued his run by winning the first three games of the second set as well. Jaziri got on the board in the fourth game to reduce the deficit to 3-1. The Italian then won three games in a row to close out the match in style.
Fognini hit five aces and won 82 percent of his first serve points against Jaziri The Italian also converted 4-of-5 of his break point chances on Tuesday. The match came to an end after an hour and 13 minutes of play.
Fognini plays next local Ymer
Fognini is set to meet home-favorite Elias Ymer in the Stockholm round two.
Swedish wildcard Ymer surprised world No. 53 Leonardo Mayer on Tuesday to progress. Ymer, ranked at No. 202, beat the Argentinean tennis player 6-4 3-6 7-5.
Ymer converted his first break point of the match in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Ymer then held on to his serve to close out the first set in the 10th game. Mayer didn't have a single break point during the opener.
Mayer took an early 3-0 second set lead to regroup in style after losing the opener. Ymer saved a break point in the sixth game before he reduced the deficit to 4-2. Yet, Mayer held on to his serve to eventually force a decider.
Ymer took a 6-5 third set lead as no breaks of were seen in the first 11 games of the set. Mayer failed to convert a break point in the fifth and seventh game earlier in the set.
Ymer converted his first break point of the set in the 12th game to clinch a hard-fought win.
Ymer served seven aces and won 78 percent of his first serve points on Tuesday. Ymer converted 2-of-2 of his break point chances and saved 5-of-6 of Mayer's break point chances on Tuesday. It took an hour and eight minutes for the clash to come to an end.
Ymer hoping for an upset
No. 6 seed Fognini and Swede Ymer have no previous meetings. World No. 27 Fognini is the clear favorite to beat Ymer and reach the Stockholm quarter-finals. However, world No. 202 Ymer will certainly be eager to pull off another upset and continue his campaign in Stockholm.