Three-time Grand Slam champion Stanislas Wawrinka won his first match in 15 months as he advanced to the second round of the Italian Open, while Dominic Thiem again fell in the first round to win this year’s Tour.
Wawrinka, who did not play for a full year after undergoing two surgeries for a leg injury, was playing 14th seed American Reilly Opelka and won the first set 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.
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It was Wawrinka’s first win since last year’s Australian Open, but the 37-year-old, the 2015 French Open champion, said he still has to work out in the gym and court to return to a competitive level.
“Physically I was feeling great. Of course when you haven’t won a match in more than a year, you always start thinking about it more and not focusing on the right things, Wawrinka told reporters.
“In general I think it was a great match, great fight. I was positive, by the end of the second set and the third set I felt a lot better with my tennis. I’m really happy with this win.”
Thiem, who is also coming back from a wrist injury that prevented him from defending his US Open crown last year, showed some encouraging signs, but was defeated by Italian Fabio Fognini 6-4 7-6(5) Made 22 unexpected errors.
Thiem got off to a great start, kicking things off with an ace at the first point of the match and also producing some trademark forehand and backhand winners, earning him a reputation on the tour.
But it was Fognini who took first place 4-4 to serve for the opening set after getting the better of Thiem in long rallies with his superior court coverage.
As the sun went down and the lights came on, Thiem advanced into the match in the second set, but Fognini closed the door whenever he had a chance for a break point.
Fognini saved six break points before the Austrian got a second wind, saving a match point before finally breaking it 5–5.
But Fognini’s baseline play was far better that day and some wayward shots from Thiem in the tiebreak gave the Italian a second match point, progressing to the next round when Thiem’s forehand return was widened.
“I’m really frankly disappointed right now. Well, things have improved again since Madrid. It’s good,” said Thiem.
“I saw the stats after the first set on the big screen. In fact they keep getting better and better… When things get tough the forehand still isn’t there. It’s like that now, on to the next one.”
When Fognini advanced, it was a mixed day for home fans after several Italians lost in the first round.
Lorenzo Sonego showed the most promise when he extended Denis Shapovalov to three sets before Canada advanced to a 7-6(5) 3-6 6-3 win.
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