Fabio Fognini wins maiden Masters title

Fabio Fognini on Sunday (local time) registered his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title win as he defeated Serbian Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-4 in Monte Carlo. With this win, he has become the first Italian to win the Masters 1000 title.

"I am really, really happy. Nothing to say. I have to keep calm, maybe take a shower, relax, and think about this because it's something incredible," Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) quoted Fogini as saying.

"I just feel happy because I won a big tournament that was always my goal in my career. I think everybody, when you're growing up and you start and you decide to play tennis, you are dreaming to win a big tournament. We are talking about a Masters 1000," he added.

The 13th seed Fognini converted four of his five break points to become the lowest seeded player to lift the trophy.

As a result of this win, Fogini will rise to his career best ranking of number twelve when the latest ATP rankings come out.

Fognini did not have smooth sailing in the tournament as he had to recover from a 4-6, 1-4 deficit in his first round match against Russian qualifier Andrey Rublev and he also overturned a 1-6, 0-2 deficit against Borna Coric in the quarter-finals.

Alongside staging comeback victories against Rublev and Coric, Fognini defeated two top-five opponents in straight sets in the tournament.

The Italian defeated world number three Alexander Zverev to reach the quarter-finals. He stunned Spaniard Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals to set up a final clash with Dusan Lajovic.

In the finals, Fognini made several unforced errors early on, allowing Lajovic to break in the third game. But the Serbian failed to capitalise as he dropped serve in the next fame.

Fognini won three games in a row and he held off Lajovic to seal the opening set. It was the first set the Serbian conceded in the tournament.

Lajovic failed to recover in the second set and Fognini made full use of the opportunity, winning the second set and thereby winning the finals 6-3, 6-4.