Stefano Travaglia produced a superb service performance to hand Team Italy the early lead against Team United States in Perth at the ATP Cup on Thursday night.
Travaglia struck 43 winners, including 17 aces, to beat Taylor Fritz 7-6(3), 7-6(5) over one hour and 42 minutes in the first singles match at the RAC Arena in Perth.
"I was feeling good from the beginning," said Travaglia. "I was feeling good with the return first and with my serve too - better than in the past two matches. I think I adapted very well in these conditions in the evening, no wind, no heat and it was slower. The courts were slower than the practice court... I think it is my best result of maybe the past two years. I'm very happy of this result."
[VISIT ATP CUP]
World No. 82 Travaglia won 94 per cent of his first-service points (44/47), and was quick to move up the court for winners in his first meeting against Fritz, who ends the inaugural tournament with a 1-2 singles record.
World No. 12 Fabio Fognini will next look to secure Italy’s second tie win with victory over John Isner, seven spots below him at No. 19 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. Isner has won their past two matches on hard courts at 2012 Valencia and the 2016 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
When Fritz was asked if he could do anything differently, the American said: "That's what I've been trying to figure out the last like 20 minutes... From the ground, I think, maybe I just could have tried to be a little more aggressive, but with how worn out the balls were getting, I didn't feel really confident driving the ball... I just felt in both those tie-breaks, I was just kind of playing within the margins that I felt comfortable playing in and not missing. And he was hurting me serving really well. So it's one of those matches where I kind of just kind of have to say, too good."
from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/37ExUBu
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