Top seeded Rafael Nadal is one win away from securing a record 47th clay title after claiming a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 victory over Italian Andreas Seppi in a lopsided Hamburg Open semi-final contest.
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Fognini, ranked 32nd in the world, is just the second player to inflict multiple claycourt defeats on Nadal in a single season after world number one Novak Djokovic. The former No 1 has dropped to 10th in the rankings and is playing his first tournament since losing in the second round of Wimbledon.
Meanwhile, the big-serving John Isner stayed on track for his third consecutive Atlanta Open title when he outlasted fellow American Denis Kudla in a tight semi-final.
Fognini, seeded eighth, is a familiar foe for the Spaniard, having already beaten Nadal twice this season in Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona.
“I will try to keep playing well and enjoy today’s victory”, the Spaniard told the ATP’s official website.
Nadal called for the trainer in the third game of the second set and received treatment on his right pectoral muscle, but after some stretching and taking a pill he resumed play and dominated the action as convincingly as before. And this year with the ups and downs that I’ve had, obviously every improvement is important.
“Something that I am proud of today, very happy with, is my attitude and I’m very happy with the way that I played”.
“I think I played a good match”, said the 29-year-old.
The Italian won 93 per cent (25 of 27) of first serve points, while saving both break points faced.
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In their lone previous meeting, Cabal and Farah defeated Murray and Peers in straight sets in the 2014 Winston-Salem Open final.
