Perth, Australia: Little-known youngster Adam Pavlasek stunned Fabio Fognini as the Czech Republic remained unbeaten at the Hopman Cup with a 3-0 clean sweep of Italy at the mixed teams tournament on Tuesday.
The 239th-ranked Pavlasek has never played in an ATP event, but fought back from a set down to beat the world number 19 in Perth and secure a second successive win for the Czechs.
Earlier, 15th-ranked Lucie Safarova had notched her second win over a higher-ranked opponent in as many matches in the women’s singles to give the Czechs the lead.
The Italians forfeited the dead mixed doubles rubber, with Fognini ruling himself out due to a heat-related illness.
Having trounced world number six Eugenie Bouchard on the opening day of the tournament, Safarova opened the tie by prevailing over 12th-ranked Flavia Pennetta in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3.
However, few expected that Pavlasek would deliver the knockout blow to Italy’s hopes in the tournament against the cagey Fognini.
The match went to script when the Italian cruised through the first set, but the 20-year-old Czech levelled the match in the second set.
The third set was one-way traffic as Pavlasek raced to a 5-0 lead against the wilting Fognini on his way to the biggest win of his career, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.
“It was the biggest win in my career and it’s just amazing that I can play with the top players and I was happy for it,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve ever played someone in the top 20.
“I have to play every point that I can and I still felt good after the first set and I won the match.”
The results mean Italy are out of Hopman Cup contention, having also lost their first tie against the United States.
With two wins from two ties, the Czechs are likely to have to beat the United States pairing of Serena Williams and John Isner on Thursday evening to reach Saturday’s final.
Meanwhile, Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams cruised through to the second round of the WTA Auckland Classic on Tuesday to restore a semblance of order as other seeds crashed around them.
One-way contest
Wozniacki, the tournament top seed, expended minimal energy downing Israeli qualifier Julia Glushko 6-3, 6-2, while Williams dropped only one game despatching Slovakia’s Jana Cepelova 6-1, 6-0.
But Svetlana Kuznetsova, the fifth seed, became the third ranked player to make an early exit, joining first day losers Sara Errani of Italy and Germany’s Mona Barthel — the second and eighth seeds.
Wozniacki made few unforced errors as she cruised past Glushko in 69 minutes to set up a second round meeting with American wild card Taylor Townsend.
Williams was even more impressive, blasting 10 aces to dispose of Cepelova in a one-way contest. The veteran had too much power and pace and declared herself satisfied even though it was not much of a contest.
“Absolutely, because usually when you win a match more easily it means you’re doing everything right,” she said.
Former world number two Kuznetsova fell to Czech qualifier Lucie Hradecka in a three-set marathon 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4.
Polish qualifier Urzula Radwanska also produced an upset with a 6-4, 7-5 win over 2010 French Open winner Francesca Schiavone from Italy.
