Tomas Berdych looks to reach the US Open third round for the first time since 2009 when he plays Fabio Fognini today.
This would be a test for Berdych on clay but Fognini has had precious little to boast about from his hard-court performances. That’s partly because the Italian has been rarely seen away from his beloved red dirt and with good reason. His clay-court excellence has seen him enjoy a best ever season on the tour, reaching a current ranking of 38.
He did not look particularly convincing in the first round, needing four sets to get past Horacio Zeballos while Berdych cruised 6-2, 7-6, 6-1 against qualifier Romain Jouan.
The US Open has been the Czech’s least favourite tournament over the years. He’s made two first round exits in the past three season but after some strong hard court showings this summer he’ll be believing he can finally threaten.
Fognini leads 1-0 on the head-to-head, winning 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in Monte Carlo two years ago but on a fast hard court, Berdych’s thumping serve and his ability to thunder winners off either side should see him progress without too much difficulty.
