Italy’s Fabio Fognini falls as he returns the ball to Austria’s Dominic Thiem during their Italian Open tennis tournament match, in Rome, Wednesday, May 16, 2018. (Ettore Ferrari/ANSA via AP)
ROME — Fabio Fognini got the Italian Open crowd fired up with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 win over sixth-seeded Dominic Thiem to reach the third round Wednesday.
Italy’s top player came out wearing a black shirt with a red lightning bolt design down his chest and he was energized from the start, grazing the flower beds lining the court to return Thiem’s high-bouncing topspin serves and frustrating the Austrian with well-placed lobs and touch volleys.
“I played very well today,” said Thiem, who beat Rafael Nadal in the Madrid Open semifinals last week. “It was just him, he was very pumped playing at home.”
Nadal, a seven-time Rome champion, and four-time champion Novak Djokovic also advanced. Nadal routed 31st-ranked Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-0, while Djokovic beat Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-2.
“It was important after a loss in Madrid to come back strong. And that’s what I did today,” Nadal said.
Nadal will next face Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov, who got by Robin Haase 7-6 (3), 6-7 (5), 6-3, while Djokovic will play Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who rallied past eighth-seeded John Isner 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5).
Defending champion Alexander Zverev beat Italian wild-card entry Matteo Berrettini 7-5, 6-2.
Also on the red clay of the Foro Italico, Kei Nishikori rallied to beat third-seeded Grigor Dimitrov 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4, and Juan Martin del Potro eliminated Greek qualifier Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-3.
While Fognini drop-kicked his racket onto the court after a miss early in the third set, it was Thiem who ultimately lost his cool. In the final game, Thiem smashed his racket into a mangled wreck and handed it to a befuddled fan in the front row.
When Thiem netted a service return two points later to end it, the White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army was blasted over the stadium sound system and the crowd began singing along in an atmosphere that more closely resembled a soccer game than a tennis match.
“We’re finally connecting and I think that’s the most beautiful thing,” Fognini said of the crowd, which whistled him off the court following an erratic performance a few years ago. “They finally understand me.
“I beat a top clay-courter,” Fognini added. “I think I deserved it at the end. … I ruined a few flowers but I think the federation can afford to buy some new ones.”
Thiem was already looking ahead to the French Open, which starts on May 27.
“It’s a loss which is not too painful, which is just motivating me for the next weeks,” the Austrian said.
In women’s action, Simona Halep routed Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-0 for the first of two wins she needs this week to keep Caroline Wozniacki from taking her No. 1 ranking.
Last year in Rome, Halep rolled her ankle in the final and lost a lead and the championship to Elina Svitolina.
Wozniacki eliminated Belgian qualifier Alison van Uytvanck 6-1, 6-4, three-time Rome champion Maria Sharapova came back to beat Dominika Cibulkova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, and 1999 Rome champion Venus Williams advanced with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 win over Elena Vesnina.
Maria Sakkari of Greece rallied past sixth-seeded Karolina Pliskova 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
At 5-5 in the third, Pliskova got engaged in a lengthy argument after she had an overhead smash called out. The chair umpire acknowledged that she “lost” the ball mark and therefore said the point should be awarded to Sakkari. On the next point, Sakkari converted a break then served it out.
After the match, Pliskova didn’t shake hands with the chair umpire and struck the chair several times with her racket.
Also, U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens held off a comeback from Estonian qualifier Kaia Kanepi in a 6-0, 5-7, 6-4 victory, and seventh-seeded Caroline Garcia defeated Timea Babos 6-3, 6-4.
Former No. 1 Angelique Kerber rallied past Irina-Camelia Begu 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, and 14th-seeded Daria Kasatkina eliminated American qualifier Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-3.