Lorenzo Sonego never gives up. The Turin tennis player beats the American Alex Michelsen at the end of a match full of emotions. After a first set dominated by the blue, credited with the number 5 seed, and won 6-3, the wind of the match completely changed, with his opponent equalizing the scores by winning the second 6-2 and lifting himself up to the 3-0 in the decisive set. But here, supported incredibly by the Cagliari public, Lorenzo scores six consecutive games and, on the fourth match point after two hours and twenty minutes of play, can unleash his joy.
Sonego's victory closes a not positive day for the blues, with three defeats in singles (two due to retirement) and one in doubles.
The day opened on Centrale with Giulio Zeppieri . The Roman wild card played a first set on par with the Hungarian Marton Fucsovic, seeded number 6 in the tournament. But, having lost the first set 7-5, he succumbed to his opponent and a hip problem, which affected his next four games before raising the white flag.
Then, almost at the same time, the blue patrol lost two more members. The wild card Francesco Maestrelli played a good match, losing to the Portuguese Nuno Borges, number 7 seeded, 6-3, 7-5. Fabio Fognini , however, seemed to be on the right day, serving at 5-3 in the first set against the Argentine Federico Coria. But then, he left the first set in a tiebreak (7-4). In the second, the Ligurian first asked for a medical timeout due to a muscle problem in his left calf and then, down 3-1, he had to say goodbye to the crowd at Centrale del Tc Cagliari, who were trying to push him towards a complicated comeback. Fognini beaten, Frances Tiafoe is on for Coria tomorrow. «Finding two people like that in the first two rounds of a challenger is not normal. It makes you understand the level of the tournament. Just as it's not normal to play in front of all this crowd. I'm waiting for you: to win I need you", declared the Argentine.
A defeat also in doubles, with Luciano Darderi who, paired with the Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante, lost 4-6, 6-3, 10-4 against the Indian N.Sriram Balaji and the German Andre Begemann.
In Tc Cagliari key, good victory for another Argentine, Juan Manuel Cerundolo, registered for the host club, who beat Canadian Gabriel Diallo 6-0, 7-6(4) in a derby between qualifiers.
Tomorrow, three Italians on the pitch. The luxurious Centrale program (12pm) will be opened by Darderi, who faces the Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli. Immediately afterwards, the number 2 seed Lorenzo Musetti will make his debut against Cerundolo. Afterwards, Sonego will return to the field to challenge Emilio Nava. The match between Tiafoe and Coria will close the Central.