Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

Fognini battles back from brink in upset

Fabio Fognini saved two match points and came from a set down to beat top seed Roberto Bautista Agut and qualify for the St Petersburg Open final.

Fabio Fognini.
Fabio Fognini celebrates his upset win over Roberto Bautista Agut at the St Petersburg Open. (AAP)

Fabio Fognini has saved two match points and recovered from a set down to upset top seed Roberto Bautista Agut and reach the final of the St Petersburg Open.

Fognini won just two games in the opening set and trailed 3-1 in the second, but hit back to win two tiebreaks and seal a 2-6 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-5) victory in a match lasting almost two and a half hours.

The third seed recovered from 5-3 down in the decisive tiebreak and will face Bosnia and Herzegovina's Damir Dzumhur in the final after the unseeded player beat Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 7-5.

"It was a great day for me," Dzumhur said. "I played from the start until the end at a high level. I think I took my chances. Today was one of the best matches of the past few months for me. I'm really happy to go through to my second final.

"I knew that I had to play better than yesterday (against Liam Broady) and I tried to fix the things that didn't work yesterday, especially my serve and my forehand."

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

In Metz, home favourite Benoit Paire will attempt to win his second ATP World Tour title after reaching the final of the Moselle Open by beating Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1 7-6 (7-5).

Paire will face German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk, who advanced when fifth seed and compatriot Mischa Zverev retired down 6-3 1-0 because of the flu.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world