Fabio Fognini cracks jokes after hard-fought Jordan Thompson win

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World No. 12 Fabio Fognini was in great spirits after surviving a tough Australian Open second round clash against home favorite Jordan Thompson. After taking a comfortable two-set lead, No. 12 seed Fognini started complicating things and missing out on his chances as the Australian took advantage of it to force a decider.

Luckily for the Italian, he avoided a disaster as he claimed a narrow 7-6 (4) 6-1 3-6 4-6 7-6 (4) win to set up a third round meeting against Argentine Guido Pella. Fognini could have won the fifth set earlier but he failed to convert two match points on Thompson's serve in the 10th game and two more two games later.

"[It was a] good fight," Fognini said after the match, per The Age. "Wow. Amazing. It's perfect, I feel good. Tired for sure, I was two set to zero [in front] ... He was playing better, he was serving unbelievable. "I had 75 match points and then it is more sweat, because it is too easy winning in three sets."