Fognini earns first win of 2025 at Cap Cana Challenger

Fabio Fognini did his part Tuesday to edge closer to a second-round showdown between former Top 10 players at the ATP Challenger 175 event in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic.

The Italian rallied past Tristan Schoolkate 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, clinching his fifth match point to earn his first win of 2025 at any level. Fognini's appearance at the inaugural Republica Dominicana Open, Copa Cap Cana Ciudad Destino marks just his third outing of the year (Adelaide, Indian Wells).

“It was my first match in my second tournament after an injury, so now I’m very tired but happy, because it’s finally my first win of 2025,” Fognini said in Spanish following the one-hour, 59-minute win.

Come for the show, stay for @fabiofogna 💫#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/iYxUcYJg0S

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) March 12, 2025

The 37-year-old, who won the Montemar Challenger in November to close the 2024 season, will next meet former No. 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings Cameron Norrie or Constant Lestienne.

Sixth seed Benjamin Bonzi and Coleman Wong also won three-setters at the hard-court tournament. Bonzi, 28, overcame #NextGenATP Mexican Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez 2-6, 6-2 6-2 while Wong survived Billy Haris 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4. Aleksandar Kovacevic earned a 6-4, 6-4 victory against seventh seed Mattia Bellucci.

Phoenix
Only two main-draw matches were completed Tuesday at the Arizona Tennis Classic, where evening rain put an early end to action. American wild card Colton Smith, who is a senior at the University of Arizona, ousted Alexander Shevchenko 6-1, 7-5 after dropping just four points behind his first serve (22/26), according to Infosys ATP Stats.

^{Colton Smith during Arizona Tennis Classic action Tuesday. Credit: ImagenShop Agencia Fotográfica/ATC}

Smith collected his maiden Challenger title earlier this year in Cleveland. Currently No. 216 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, Smith celebrated his 22nd birthday last week on the same day he earned his maiden tour-level win in Indian Wells.

The No. 3 player in the ITA singles rankings, Smith will next face seventh seed Roman Safiullin, who ousted Christopher Eubanks 7-6(2), 6-1. Rinky Hijikata led Brandon Holt 7-6(0), 3-2 when play was suspended for the day.