Jaume Munar gave the surprise of the day at the AnyTech365 Andalucía Open by beating Fabio Fognini, second favorite of the tournament, with great force. The Mallorcan beat the Italian, world number 18 and top-10 in 2019, 6-2 and 6-1 in 1h: 23. A prestigious victory that is the second that Munar has achieved against a tennis player who has been able to beat Rafa Nadal four times. They will face Belarusian Ilya Ivashka in the quarterfinals, who defeated Alejandro Davidovich by beating him 6-1, 6-3.
Jaume had faced Fognini twice, both in 2019, the best year of the genius of San Remo. In Buenos Aires he beat him in three sets and, before, at the Australian Open, he had to retire injured after losing the first two sets in two tie-breaks and with 3-1 against in the third. This time the best adaptation of the Spanish to the track was noticed where he already played last week at Challenger in Marbella, tournament in which he reached the final and fell precisely to an Italian, Gianluca Mager. The vendetta was paid by a compatriot of the champion, who also participated in the ATP 250 (he faced Casper Ruud on Thursday and the Dane beat him 6-3 and 6-2). The first set was opened by Munar with a 3-0 and was not lost. On the contrary, although he lost his serve to 3-1, immediately put another break in between and withstood well the attacks that good old Fabio tried with little faith. In the second set he was even more superior, with three breaks and a feeling of overwhelming dominance.
“I feel very good, and after quarantine last year I also felt good. I had ups and downs and I worked on mental aspects and on my regularity. I also look good tennis. In recent months I had bad luck in some draws and lost the game with tight scores, like in the first rounds of the US Open and Roland Garros. I think I have recovered my freshness and I am the Jaume who was 52 in the world and I cared with anyone on the circuit. It was very important for me to feel competitive and I think I'm getting it, “explained Munar.
Davidovich, frustrated at Ivashka
Munar could have faced another young woman from the Navy on the Roman Bridge, but Davidovich, very nervous, did not measure up to a cold and civil servant Ivashka that he did things well, especially with his service, that he closed perfectly without conceding a single break and saving the nine options that the Malaga player had. The second game of the first set and the ninth of the second were key, because it was in them that Alex had the best opportunities to break his opponent's serve. It was especially painful for Davidovich to waste a 0-40 that put him close to being placed at 5-4 and service with the support of the public. It could not be and at least the kid controlled his anger before leaving with his head down.
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