Championship Match: [13] Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs. [123] Bernard Tomic (AUS)
Tomic was once ranked as high as number seventeen in 2016; however, a slew of injuries and a lack of interest saw his ranking plummet outside the top two hundred. Yet, despite the ranking, his unpredictability and innate talent makes him always a dangerous opponent. However, Fognini was back to his career high at thirteen and playing some of the best tennis of his life. This was a golden opportunity to make Italian history.
This is a major accomplishment for the Australian, once touted to be the next great Aussie hope. Sadly, Tomic has never lived up to that potential. He had not won a tournament since July 2015. However, at twenty-five years old, he still has time if he is willing to make the commitment.
This 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(7) victory today proves that he still has game. While the Italian was in form and playing consistently better tennis recently and should have had the advantage, he had lost their only meeting on hard court. Tomic did not checkout and mentally hung in for the battle, which was probably a surprise for the Italian.
Yet the Italian gave it everything he had and perhaps the pressure of expectation took a toll. He was not able to elevate his game at crucial moments to become the first Italian to win four tour-level titles in one season. However, there is still time for the Italian to accomplish that feat this season.
NISHIOKA DENIES HERBERT HIS FIRST TITLE
Championship Match: [67] Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) vs. [171] Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN)
The Japanese player made it to his first ATP Tour final and battled hard to claim his first tour-level title. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, this was his second visit to the final in a singles tournament and he will have to continue waiting for his first singles title. The twenty-seven year old squandered his opportunities early in the first set and although he battled back in the second, he had nothing left in the third.
Herbert knocked out the number two seed and the number seven seed to get to the final; however, he just could not cross the finish line. In his third consecutive three set battle, he ran out of gas. Nishioka did not have it any easier; he took out two seeded players as well; however, this was not his third consecutive three set battle and he was able to find just enough to give that last push in the third set. His 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 victory gave him the Shenzhen Open title and his first career singles title.
SOURCE OF IMAGES: Zimbio.com (Clive Mason/Getty Images Europe: Bernard Tomic (in white) and Getty Images AsiaPac: Yoshihito Nishioka)
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