Video: Fognini, Force of Nature

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Video: Fognini, Force of Nature

Fabio Fognini turned parting into performance art.

The 20th-seeded Italian pulled out all the theatrical stops trying to flip the script against Gilles Muller in his Australian Open opener.

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Showing the full Fabio spectrum of operatic outbursts, racquet spikes, grand gestures, raging diatribes at authorities and general mayhem, the man in the flame-colored shirt was engulfed by emotion. Fognini also showed some resistance between the lines. He fought off 10 of 11 break points.

It was Grand Slam theater, but Muller was not upstaged.

The left-hander slid 34 aces in a 7-6, 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 victory that offered just two service breaks.

Fognini, who hit 20 aces and 11 double faults, suffered his seventh opening-round exit in nine Melbourne appearances.

It was an entertaining exit, but not the end for Fognini.

Fognini and partner Simone Bolelli launch their Australian Open doubles defense this week as the No. 5-seeded team.

Photo credit: Tennis Australia

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