A surprising Sunday final in Hamburg will feature an on-fire Fabio Fognini against qualifier Federico Delbonis. Chris Skelton previews the action.
The flavor of the week meets the flavor of the month on Sunday in the final of the German Tennis Championships. From a tournament that featured Roger Federer, Tommy Haas, Nicolas Almagro, and Jerzy Janowicz comes a final that nobody could have expected.
Ranked No. 114 before Hamburg, 22-year-old qualifier Federico Delbonis has reeled off a string of astonishing upsets to reach the final. His greatest thriller came against Fernando Verdasco in a three-hour and 14-minute quarterfinal, while he also knocked off Roland Garros quarterfinalist Tommy Robredo in another three-setter. But Delbonis delivered his most impressive statement of the week against Federer in the semifinals. Down a break midway through the first set, the previously-anonymous Argentine rallied to sweep two tiebreaks from the 17-time Grand Slam champion.
Delbonis now rides that wave of momentum from the biggest victory of his career into the biggest match of his career. The less surprising of the two finalists, Fabio Fognini looks to secure his second career title just a week after winning his first. That previous title run in Stuttgart may have spurred the nonchalant Italian to believe in himself as a real contender. Hindered by complacency for much of his career, Fognini showcased his clearly visible talents again in upsetting the second-seeded Haas and the third-seeded Almagro.
Both Delbonis and Fognini have earned their living on clay, so one can expect a classic clay match in the final. Plenty of extended baseline rallies should unfold between two men who win relatively few free points on their serves. For Fognini, on a nine-match winning streak, the challenge will lie in shouldering the pressure as the favorite after thriving in the role of the underdog. For Delbonis, the challenge will lie in mastering the inevitable nerves of his first career final. That task will loom especially large a day after his massive upset of Federer.
Skelton pick: Fognini 2
Dimon pick: Fognini in 2
[polldaddy poll=7264283]
If Delbonis was able to control the nerves to win two tie-breaks against Federer it’s quite possible he could do it again today particularly as Fognini can be erratic at the best of times. I fancy Delbonis in three.
final may be a different situation. but maybe not, as playing Fognini is much different from playing Federer. Well, we’re about to find out.
Wow this is really surprising finals for two unknown players who both string upsets to clash at the finals. I root for the Argentine Debonis to win it all. A win in the final would validate his hard earned win against Federer.
Hmmmmm, Looks Federer good at 250 events now that he’s aging.
Raindrops: you’re being mean rubbing salt in the wound! And beware, Fed has come storming back in the past after set backs. It’s too early to write him out of the equation just yet.
Fognini his hardly an unknown. He’s been around for ages but was notoriously unreliable and it’s only this year he has managed to string consecutive wins together.
This Delbonis guy is a cool customer.
It’s not going to be Fognini in 2!!!
Delbonis is having his Andrey Golubev moment
what wild match
So near, so far. I really thought Delbonis was going to pull off a straight sets win.
that’s a backhand volley that you don’t ever get over. Delbonis may have to seek counseling from Roddick.