By Chris Oddo | Tuesday, April 15, 2014

 

Italians are hoping that Fabio Fognini can become the first Italian man to crack the ATP's top 10 this spring.

Photo Source: AP
 

It's been 35 years since an Italian man ranked inside the ATP's top 10 (Corrado Barazzutti), so it's only natural that fans of Italian tennis have begun to clamor about about world No. 13 Fabio Fognini's current proximity to tennis's top 10 at the moment.

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But all the top-10 talk is not bothering Fognini one bit.

“Right now everybody in Italy, they talking that I have to be top 10,” Fognini told reporters after Monday's three-set victory over Joao Sousa. “It's not my problem. I'm okay at the moment. I feel really good. I'm in a good way. I'm really confident.”

Fognini is only 180 points out of the No. 10 slot, but he does have semifinal points to defend in Monte-Carlo. He's got a ridiculously tough draw at the year's first clay-court Masters 1000 event, so he'll have to be brilliant to get there. Fognini faces up-and-coming Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut in the second round on Wednesday, and would face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga if he defeats Bautista-Agut. If he somehow gets through those two rounds, Roger Federer should be waiting for Fognini in the quarterfinals.

The San Remo, Italy native will have some wiggle room later in the clay-court season, however. Last season Fognini suffered a first-round loss in Madrid, a second-round loss in Rome and a third-round loss at Roland Garros. He didn't win a match at Wimbledon, either.

“Of course, I have four big tournaments to play, another one like Munich, a lot of points during this time," he said. "I just thinking about my game every week. If I have the chance or not, depends because too many things can happen. I'm ready, but you never know.”