SARDEGNA: Top seed Italian Fabio Fognini was forced to pull out of the ATP Sardegna Open on Wednesday after testing positive for coronavirus (Covid-19).

“Guys, I have to tell you that this morning I tested positive for Covid-19,” the 33-year-old said on Instagram. “The symptoms are very mild, a little cough and fever, headache ... but unfortunately this bad news has arrived.

“I’m already in isolation and I’m convinced that I will recover very soon. I hug you all.”

Fognini, 33, had a first-round bye and was set to open in the second round against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena in the clay-court tournament on Sardinia.

The world number 16 was replaced by Serb Danilo Petrovic, who won through 6-1, 6-4 against the Spaniard.

Fognini and doubles partner Lorenzo Musetti lost their last-16 tie to fellow Italians Lorenzo Sonego and Andrea Vavassori on Tuesday, following a 15-13 third-set tiebreak in a match lasting more than two hours.

“All the people with whom Fognini was in direct contact were placed in preventive isolation and subjected to new swabs,” the Italian tennis federation said in a statement.

Fognini, who won the Monte Carlo Masters last year, was out for six months this year following surgery to both ankles.

The 166th-ranked Petrovi will next play Federico Delbonis of Argentina, who defeated sixth-seeded Pablo Andujar 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

Second-seeded Duan Lajovi is also out after losing to Serbian compatriot Laslo Djere 6-4, 7-5. Fifth-seeded Lorenzo Sonego lost 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 against Jiri Vesely.

In first-round matches, Corentin Moutet beat American Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (0), 6-4 and Yannick Hanfmann beat Salvatore Caruso 6-0, 6-4.

The tournament was installed in the ATP calendar as a one-time only event amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2020