Fabio Fognini vs Andy Murray Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Italian Open

Prediction published on 09/05/2023, 05:06  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 10/05/2023 at 07:15 in Tennis Predictions

Unseeded Andy Murray and wildcard Fabio Fognini will renew their rivalry when they clash in the first round of the Italian Open on Wednesday; an outdoor clay court game that will mark the ninth meeting between the two, and the second in Rome. The head-to-head record is tied at four wins apiece and whoever wins this latest clash will advance to the second round to face 30th seed Miomir Kecmanovic. Fabio Fognini is having a torrid season so far but will hope his past successes against Murray see him advance from this round and hopefully be the spark towards turning his season around. The Italian has lost eight of the 10 matches he has played so far and this has seen him drop down to number 138 in the live ranking. The former world number nine is making his 19th appearance in Rome and looking at his form this season, he could once again go down in the first round. His best-ever finish here came in 2018 when he made the quarterfinals but he has been eliminated in this round the most, with six defeats. Fognini beat Murray in the second round here back in 2017.

Andy Murray has also played here quite a number of times with this year being his 13th appearance. The Briton is a former Rome Masters champion, in 2016, and though he is not anywhere close to the form that enabled him to claim only his second Masters 1000 title on clay, he will be confident of advancing past Fognini especially as he is coming off a title run. The former world number one turned his season around in the just concluded Aix en Provence. Before serving off in that Challenger, Murray had won one more match (eight) than he had lost (seven). He is now on 13 wins for the season and has boosted his world ranking by 95 points to move into 40th in the live ranking which is the highest he has been since April 2018. Murray has defeated Fognini once on clay in the four wins he has registered against the Italian.