Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini surprised top-seeded Serbian Laslo Djere 7-6 (1), 2-6, 6-4 in the Grand Prix Hassan II’s second round in Marrakech, Morocco. Fognini overcame Djere’s strong second set to win the match in the third set.
Fognini advances with fellow Italians Lorenzo Sonego and Matteo Berrettini, while Pavel Kotov of Russia defeats Flavio Cobolli. Spanish qualifier Pablo Llamas Ruiz upset No. 8 seed Dominik Koepfer in the Millennium Estoril Open, advancing him to face David Jorda Sanchis in the second round. Defying Portuguese wild cards, Arthur Fils and Gael Monfils advanced with other victors such as Botic Van De Zandschulp, Jan Choinski, Marton Fucsovics, Cristian Garin, and Pedro Martinez.
Ben Shelton, ranked #1 in the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, overcame Zizou Bergs of Belgium in the second round, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Both Brandon Nakashima and Marcos Giron, two other Americans who advanced to the quarterfinals, matched Shelton’s tenacity.
Giron defeated J.J. Wolf, and Nakashima defeated Rinky Hijikata. The biggest upset of the day came from Italy’s Luciano Darderi, who defeated Argentina’s second-seeded Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4).
