Fognini Looks To Continue Solid Record Over Andujar

Italy`s Fabio Fognini will take on Pablo Andujar of Spain in the second round of the ATP Rio Open tomorrow evening (21:00). Last year the Spaniard managed to make it all the way to the semi-finals of the tournament before being knocked out by fellow countryman and eventual competition winner Rafael Nadal. Andujar picked up the opening set 6-2 prior to falling to a 6-3 defeat in the second and losing the last on a tie-break.

Fognini, in comparison, could only make it to the quarter-finals last season, biting the dust in his clash with Ukrainian finalist Alexandr Dolgopolov. The 27-year-old Italian could only claim two games in his match-up against the tournament`s runner-up, being put to the sword 6-1, 6-1.

This time around, the Sanremo-born star saw off Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic in spite of losing the opening set 6-1. He redeemed himself by forcing the second set into a tie-break, which he won, before securing the third set with a 6-1 win of his own. The three-time ATP title winner is 13/2 with ladbrokes and william hill to lose the first set and win the clash for the second consecutive match-up in Brazil.

Fognini will be the second Italian Andujar has played in this tournament, the Cuenca native having already ground Paolo Lorenzi into the dirt. Like his opponent tomorrow, Andujar, who is two years Fognini`s senior, failed to pick up the opening set, losing to the Italian 6-3. He rallied to take the second set without dropping a game before sealing the last 6-3. The world number 50 is available at 5/1 with ladbrokes to drop the first set but win the match for the second match in succession.

In a similar vein, ladbrokes also have the best price on the match going to three sets. This is 11/8 with Fognini being the eventual winner of the three set clash being available at 10/3 with the same bookmaker and a three set win for Andujar being touted at 43/10 with 888sport and unibet.

Indeed, it is Fognini, ranked 22 places to the good of his opponent, that is the favourite for tomorrow evening`s tie. The 5`10" right-hander can be backed at 8/13 with boylesports. The best price on a Andujar win can be collected at betway, this bookie presenting a price of 7/5 on the Spaniard progressing with a victory in the clash.

Perhaps the confidence in the favourite has something to do with his superior record over his rival. The pair have played four times in total, twice in ATP tournaments and twice in futures tournaments. Fognini is not only yet to lose to Andujar but also yet to drop a set against him. A number of bookmakers are offering 6/4 on him continuing this fine vein of form and securing another straight sets victory tomorrow evening.

The pair last met in the quarter-finals of the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires last year, the score reading 6-4, 6-3. Fognini would go on to finish runner-up in this competition, missing out on his fourth career title when being put to the sword by David Ferrer in straight sets in the final.

These men had previously met in the first round of the same tournament in 2009, that encounter finishing 6-3, 6-2 though Fognini would lose out to one of many home hopes Jose Acasuso in the second round. Andujar has never picked up any more than four games against the Italian in any one set and he is 10/1 with william hill to collect exactly five in the first set against him tomorrow.

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18/02/2015     © Frixo 2026