Fognini eases into second round in Russia

Published January 13, 2015

Last year's runner-up Fabio Fognini was an easy first-round winner Tuesday at the St. Petersburg Open tennis event.

The two-time 2013 ATP World Tour titlist handled British qualifier Dominic Inglot 6-4, 6-4 on the indoor hardcourts at the St. Petersburg Sports and Concert Complex.

Fognini lost to Slovak Martin Klizan in last year's St. Petersburg finale.

In other opening-round action involving seeds, No. 4 Russian favorite Dmitry Tursunov took out former Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-3) and No. 8 Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan held off Aussie qualifier Samuel Groth 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

Also on Day 2, Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez doused Russian qualifier Mikhail Biryukov 6-4, 6-1, Russian Evgeny Donskoy rolled past Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-1, 6-4, and Austrian Jurgen Zopp outlasted Spaniard Daniel Gimeno- Traver 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. Up next for Garcia-Lopez will be former St. Petersburg champion and long-time Russian favorite Mikhail Youzhny.

The 2013 St. Petersburg titlist will earn $78,000.

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