ROME (AFP) – Fabio Fognini edged out Andy Murray in a battle of veteran tennis dads to reach the Italian Open second round on Wednesday.
Fognini, ranked outside of the top 100 for the first time in 14 years, came through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 against his fellow 35-year-old.
Former number seven Fognini delighted his home crowd with a controlled final set serving display in which he conceded just three points.
It was his fifth win in nine career meetings with Murray but just his third on the tour in 2023.
The Italian maverick, like Murray a father of three, fired 46 winners past the former world number one and three-time major winner in a first round tie which stretched to almost three hours.
