Roland Garros: Sonego is close to the feat against Ruud

The blue moves forward two to one against the Norwegian, but fails to close

After the surprising victory of Camila Giorgi, who eliminated Aryna Sabalenka number 7 of the tournament, Italy touches on a new enterprise with the Piedmontese Lorenzo Sonego who fought five sets before surrendering to the Norwegian top ten Casper Ruud for 6-2 6- 7 1-6 6-4 6-3. Lorenzo Sonego played an impeccable game, with the heart, with a lot of courage, all at the boarding to avoid being squeezed in the Norwegian’s grip.

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THE MATCH

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It took Sonego a whole set to take the measures to his rival, then he adjusted the aim of the serve and every time he had the opportunity he went down to the net to close the point and to take away the time to the rival. The seventh game of the second set marked the turning point: Sonego made the break with two winners who then confirmed for the 5-3. At 5-4, however, he lost the serve to zero, but he didn’t get too demoralized. Sonego gritted his teeth, took refuge at the tie-break and dominated it by 7 points to 3. With a run of 7 games to zero Sonego flew 5-1 to the third and finished it off 6-1. . In the fourth set, without break points, the game dragged on to the crucial moment, that is when Sonego went to serve to stay in the set. Here the blue missed a smash for the 0-30 and then put a straight cross on the net for the 0-40. With a straight swing, he canceled the first set point, but then he went out of size with the forehand and the game stretched to the fifth set. Here in Sonego there was a lack of energy while Ruud found the initial step. The break of the fourth game of the fifth set paved the way for Ruud who then closed the set 6-3.

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THE DATA

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In the Open Era, Italy has never managed to qualify at least two men and two women for the round of 16 of a Grand Slam. This feat has only been done twice in the past, both at Roland Garros. In 1959 it was the turn of Lucia Bassi, Silvana Lazzarino, Beppe Merlo and Nicola Pietrangeli who won the tournament, in 1960 to Silvana Lazzarino, Lea Pericoli, Beppe Merlo, Orlando Sirola and Nicola Pietrangeli who won the title again. This year Italy came close to us with the elimination of Sonego. But there remain Jannik Sinner in the men, Camila Giorgi and Jasmine Paolini in the women.

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A fine match

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The blue after the defeat preferred to consider the glass as half full: “I played my best game of my career, I’m not disappointed at all. When you manage to express yourself in this way, the final result doesn’t matter. I gave my soul and I can only be happy. I have been in front of him for two sets and it is not easy because on clay he is one of the strongest players in the world. Physically I felt good throughout the game, from start to finish. Ruud has superior physical prowess to mine, it is much more powerful and perhaps even resistant “.

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