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Fabio Fognini failed to take a set off Alexander Zverev in their first two FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings. But the Italian broke through in style against the 21-year-old on Thursday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.
In front of an energised crowd on Court Rainier III, Fognini secured 75 per cent of first-serve points (30/40) to defeat Zverev 7-6(6), 6-1 in 90 minutes. Fognini has now reached five ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finals, which include his run to the semi-finals at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in 2013 (l. to Djokovic).
"I'm really happy. Happy because I was always losing with him, but it was [also] a really tough match," Fognini said. "He's No. 3 in the world, even if he's playing his best tennis. I'm really happy."
Fognini entered the tournament with seven losses in his past eight tour-level matches and trailed Andrey Rublev 4-6, 1-4 in his first-round match. But after his first win over a Top 3 opponent since his victory over then-World No. 1 Andy Murray at the 2017 Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Fognini is one win away from a return to the last four in the Principality.
The World No. 18 will meet ninth seed Borna Coric in the quarter-finals. Fognini defeated Coric in their only previous FedEx ATP Head2Head clash at the 2014 Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag.
"Coric is a really good fighter. He fights a lot. He won so many matches last year," Fognini said. "I have to be happy for sure and enjoy my match from tonight, recover well, that's the most important thing and try my best."
The Croatian advanced to his second straight Masters 1000 quarter-final after one hour and 41 minutes, saving all three break points he faced to beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France 6-4, 6-2. Coric also reached the last eight at the Miami Open presented by Itau last month, beating Nick Kyrgios in three sets before a straight-sets loss to #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
"I was making the right decisions at the right time," Coric said. "I was also serving great, so that gave me some confidence when he served that I could be more relaxed."
Did You Know?
With qualifier Lorenzo Sonego also advancing to the last eight, two Italians are into the Monte-Carlo quarter-finals for the first time since 1978, when Corrado Barazzutti and Adriano Panatta accomplished the feat.

Fognini will try to upset 11-time champ Nadal on Saturday
Italian Fabio Fognini claimed the last spot in the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters semi-finals on Friday, recovering from a set down to beat Croat Borna Coric 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

"I think I was a little bit lucky," said Fognini, who will face 11-time champion Rafael Nadal in the last four. "I’m happy because I’m playing my second semi-final here. Happy because of course I’ve tried to do my best all week and now it’s time to play with a really good player."

The 31-year-old saved five of eight break points to reach his second semi-final in the Principality after one hour and 59 minutes. Six years ago, Fognini defeated Tomas Berdych and Richard Gasquet in back-to-back matches to reach the last four in Monte-Carlo for the first time (l. to Djokovic).

In the first round, Andrey Rublev led Fognini 6-4, 4-1, but the Italian battled through and has played some of his best tennis since. The 13th seed beat World No. 3 Alexander Zverev and Coric to reach his third ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.


Entering the tournament, Fognini was on a five-match losing streak on clay. He improves to 2-0 in his FedEx ATP Head2head series against Coric, after winning their only previous encounter at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag in 2014.

Fognini will meet Nadal for a spot in the final. The World No. 18 has won just three of 14 FedEx ATP Head2Head matches against Nadal, with each of his three victories coming in 2015.

"Everywhere it’s difficult with him. I'll just try to enjoy this match, try to recover as best I can, eat well, sleep well, play with [my son] Federico a little bit before I sleep and tomorrow is another day," Fognini said. "I’ll try to do my best game. I know that it’s difficult, but I have the game to play against him."

Coric appeared to be in control of the match, taking a one-set lead after 27 minutes. The ninth seed proved too consistent for Fognini from the baseline in the opening set, committing just one unforced error compared to 11 from Fognini.

But the Italian, after dropping his opening service game in the second set, soon found success. Fognini attacked Coric's backhand to break serve for the second time at 4-3 and levelled the match in the following game to the delight of the crowd on Court Rainier III.


The World No. 18, who brought Coric forward to create passing-shot opportunities throughout the match, earned an immediate service break in the decider. The eight-time tour-level titlist moved forward to earn break point and was gifted the break as Coric misjudged his backhand return. A second break in the fifth game gave Fognini the opportunity to serve for the match, with the Italian converting his third match point to advance.

Coric was also aiming to reach his third Masters 1000 semi-final. The 22-year-old owns a 12-6 record at tour-level this year, which includes a run to the last four at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship (l. to Federer)

Italian into his first ATP Masters 1000 final
Fabio Fognini produced the performance of his career on Saturday to stun 11-time champion Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-2 at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, advancing to his first ATP Masters 1000 final.
Fognini claimed 11 of 14 games from 1-3 down in the first set to stun the 33-time Masters 1000 champion after one hour and 36 minutes. Fognini's fourth victory in 15 FedEx ATP Head2Head encounters against the 80-time tour-level titlist ends 18-match and 25-set winning streaks for Nadal in the Principality.
"I was telling him yesterday that I [knew I had] the game to play against him," said Fognini. "Sometimes I won a few matches. one crazy one at the US Open and two times on clay. So I knew that I had nothing to lose, because, of course, especially when you go with him on clay, it's always really tough."
This is just the second time the World No. 18 has claimed victory against Top 2 opposition, adding to his 2017 triumph over then-World No. 1 Andy Murray at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. Fognini is also just the fourth man to claim three or more victories against Nadal on clay, following in the footsteps of Djokovic, Dominic Thiem and Gaston Gaudio. The Italian's previous two clay-court victories against Nadal came at the Rio Open presented by Claro and Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell in 2015.
"I probably played one of the worst matches on clay in 14 years," Nadal said. "When that happens, you have to lose. And today I deserved to lose because I played against a player that was better than me today."
Fognini entered the tournament on a five-match losing streak on clay and looked set to fall to a sixth straight defeat on the surface in his opening match. But after Andrey Rublev led the Italian 6-4, 4-1, Fognini found his best tennis and he has not looked back. Fognini defeated World No. 3 Alexander Zverev, ninth seed Borna Coric and Nadal to reach the championship match at the Monte-Carlo Country Club.
"If you told me at the beginning of the week, I will see you on Sunday, I would [have] laughed in your face," said Fognini. "I was 6-4, 4-1 down and break point for 5-1, and I [hit an] ace on the line. But that's incredible sport. So I was lucky. Now I'm in the final. And of course I go for the title tomorrow."

Fognini will meet first-time tour-level finalist Dusan Lajovic for the trophy. Lajovic, who is yet to drop a set in the Principality this week (10-0), recovered from 1-5 down in the first set to beat Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-1. Fognini and Lajovic have never met at tour-level.
"It's a surprise final, because of course both of us [were] not favorites [in the matches] today," said Fognini. "He played really good and really solid during the whole week, because I saw him play against Dominic. I saw him playing the first match and he beat Goffin. And even if Medvedev was really tight, he was 1-5 down in the first set, and he was really good.
"I think it's going to be really tough. He has nothing to lose. I have nothing to lose. We start 50/50. Even if the ranking [says] I'm higher than him, I know that I have to run a lot tomorrow."
Fognini joins Novak Djokovic as the only player to defeat Nadal at the Monte-Carlo Country Club after the quarter-finals. Djokovic snapped Nadal's 46-match win streak in the Principality to claim the 2013 title and also defeated the Spaniard in the last four in 2015.
The eight-time tour-level titlist is just the fourth man to defeat Nadal at the third Masters 1000 event of the year. The 31-year-old adds his name next to Novak Djokovic (2013, '15), David Ferrer (2014) and Guillermo Coria (2003) on the exclusive list.
In the opening game, Fognini found success returning deep into Nadal's forehand. The Italian took advantage of short replies from the Spaniard to gain court position, firing winners to earn an early break. But Nadal quickly found his rhythm on his forehand, opening up the court with angles to move Fognini across the baseline and extract errors for a 3-1 lead.
From there, Fognini bounced back in emphatic fashion to take the opening set. The Italian continued his attack on Nadal's forehand, driving backhands cross-court to break serve for a 5-4 lead. In the next game, Fognini maintained his attacking mentality, charging the net behind his serve to take a one-set lead.

Buoyed by an electric atmosphere in the crowd, Fognini charged towards the finish line in set two. The 31-year-old took time away from Nadal at every opportunity, striking any available short balls to push Nadal out of position and into errors.
Nadal managed to save three consecutive match points at 5-0, 40/0, before breaking for a third time to extend the match. But Fognini ended his comeback, cracking a forehand up the line from the tramline to hand Nadal his fifth loss at the Monte-Carlo Country Club (71-5).
Nadal was bidding to reach his 13th final in Monte-Carlo and match Roger Federer's record for most final appearances at Masters 1000 level (50). The Manacor native owns a 33-16 record in his 49 championship matches at Masters 1000 level, which includes an 11-1 record at this event.
"It was a tough day and [Fabio] was a difficult opponent," said Nadal. "I am coming from low moments in terms of injuries, and in terms of the mental side it has not been easy to accept all the things that have been going on... It was this kind of day that everything was wrong."
Did You Know?
Since the ATP Masters 1000 series began in 1990, the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters championship match has never featured two first-time finalists.