Fabio Fognini retires from the ATP250 to be the latest player infected by the Coronavirus. The Italian champion accepted to play the tournament in Italy after a late defection of Diego Schwartzman. However, after he competed in doubles on Tuesday, he tested positive so as to withdraw from the competition.
Fabio will be replaced by lucky loser Danilo Petrovic that will take on Roberto Carballes Baena.
It’s interesting that Fabio is the 10th tennis player in the top100 that has tested positive to the virus alongside Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric, Novak Djokovic, Frances Tiafoe, Kei Nishikori, Benoit Paire, Fernando Verdasco, David Goffin, and Sam Querrey.
3 of these players (Djokovic, Coric, and Dimitrov) got infected in the same event (the Adria Tour), while it’s not clear how the others caught the virus.
The statement from the ATP
This is the official statement.
“Following the return of positive COVID-19 test result on 14 October 2020, Fabio Fognini has been withdrawn from the Forte Village Sardegna Open.
Mr. Fognini has been moved into isolation. The Tournament Physician and ATP Medical Team will continue to monitor his condition. A contact tracing process is currently underway to identify and notify any individuals who have come into close contact with him.
Mr. Fognini has been replaced in the singles draw by a Lucky Loser.”
Fabio Fognini in 2020
Ranked world no.16, Fabio played his last match on the 28th of September when he lost to Mikhail Kukushkin 7-5 3-6 7-61 6-0 in the 1st round of the French Open.
Novak Djokovic in 2020
Now the world no.1, Novak played his last match on the 11th of October when he surrendered to Rafael Nadal 6-0 6-2 7-5 in the final of the French Open.
Currently, this year the Serbian has a 37-2 match record. Novak has won 4 titles in 2020 at the Australian Open, in Dubai, in New York and in Rome. Novak got to the final at the French Open.
Fabio Fognini and Novak Djokovic played each other 9 times. The head to head is 8-1 for Djokovic. The last time that they played, Novak Djokovic won 6-3 6-0 6-2 in the 4th round in Melbourne (Australian Open) in January 2014.
Coric in St. Petersburg, ranking, and results in 2020
Ranked no.27, Coric has a compiled 11-9 win-loss record in 2020. Coric is participating in St. Petersburg where he beat Feliciano Lopez 6-3 7-62.
Benoit Paire in 2020
Currently ranked no.26, the French player played his last match on the 30th of September when he lost to Federico Coria 7-63 4-6 6-3 6-1 in the 2nd round of the French Open.
Benoit Paire’s most significant result of this year was getting to the final in Auckland.
Borna Coric and Benoit Paire played each other 3 times. The head to head is 3-0 for Coric. The last time that they competed against each other, Borna Coric won 6-0 1-0 ret. in the 1st round in New York (Western & Southern Open) on the 22nd of August 2020.
