The Italian armada (5 players in action on Wednesday) at the Erste Bank Open had varying success on Wednesday.
As first of the five Italians playing on Wednesday, Lorenzo Sonego cruised into the second round. Last year’s finalist and number 23 in the world, played against German lucky loser Dominik Koepfer on the #glaubandich court at Tennis 2 Go, beating Koepfer in convincing fashion 6-4, 6-3.
Parallel to that, this season’s four-time tournament champ (two of those four titles were won indoors) Jannik Sinner also had no problems dispatching US super server Reilly Opelka in straight sets. Sinner, the world’s number 20, was unfazed by Opelka’s 8 aces, winning 6-4, 6-2.
He will face Austrian local hero Dennis Novak in the second round on Thursday.
The first Italian to get eliminated was veteran Fabio Fognini. He lost 2-6, 5-7 to Vienna finalist Diego Schwartzman.
Another Italian youngster, Lorenzo Musetti, had to pay tribute to his youth, bowing 6-7 (2), 4-6 to French fan favorite Gael Monfils.