The Roman eliminates the home player in the Masters 1000 and awaits the winner between Darderi and Tabilo. Sonego out
It is an exaggerated Flavio Cobolli who beats Tommy Paul, a hard-court specialist and host in Cincinnati, advancing to the second round of the American Masters 1000. It is clearly the best moment of the Roman tennis player’s career, who in the second round will face the winner of the match between Luciano Darderi and Chilean Tabilo. The Italian is now on the doorstep of the top 30 in the world (and could enter by the end of the tournament). The match ends 6-2 4-6 7-5 for Flavio, who eliminates one of the luxury outsiders for the tournament victory, saving three match points during the third set.
the match
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Paul, who is usually an excellent server, is completely off his game. The American holds serve only once in 4 attempts in the first set, with Cobolli pushing on the return and playing electric and unstoppable tennis. The first set goes by in just over 30 minutes, with 30 points to 20 for the Roman. Paul is a great player and reacts like a champion after a set more suited for a sparring partner: a score of 12 points to 4 and the second set goes smoothly. Flavio is tough to shake off and, down 2-4, recovers the break deficit. Cobolli gets back on track, but at 4-4, Paul finds the decisive push and closes the second set 6-4.
epilogue
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The momentum of the match has changed, and Tommy takes the break in the fourth game of the third set (first a very tough rally, then a double fault from Flavio). Cobolli immediately faces two opportunities for a counter-break, and he gets it right away. The game continues on serve until 5-4 for the American, with Flavio serving to prolong the match. At that point, a crucial lapse can occur, with a backhand into the net, a missed smash, and another backhand hit by the net: but Cobolli saves two match points, the second with a monstrous backhand on the line. Flavio would have the chance to make it 5-5, but Tommy comes out and gets a third match point, which is wasted again. The Italian survives a crazy game with an ace and prolongs everything. He has three break points that would allow him to serve for the match, but he doesn’t convert them. Flavio finally converts on the fourth opportunity and wins the match, holding serve to love!
sonego out
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In the first round against Borna Coric, he had come back after losing the first set. But Lorenzo Sonego falls this time, just a step away from qualifying for the main draw of the Cincinnati Masters 1000. The Italian succumbs 6-3 3-6 6-2 against Spanish fighter Jaume Munar, who beats him in 2 hours and 6 minutes. Sonego struggles a bit physically, after the efforts against Coric.
women
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Lucia Bronzetti is also out, fighting but eliminated in one hour and 28 minutes by Australian Sun. The match ends 7-6 (4) 6-3, in a game where Bronzetti had two set points in the tenth game of the first set, but couldn’t convert them and lost in the tie-break. Martina Trevisan is also out, defeated 6-4 6-4 by American Montgomery.