This content was published 11 years ago. It may refer to a past edition of the Internazionali d’Italia.

2328: That completes an action-packed day here at Foro Italico. Join us tomorrow for the completion of the men’s first round matches and the start of the second round ones. Ciao! 2326: No worries for Nishikori who closes the match to love – 6-2, 6-4, the result. Jeremy Chardy or Feliciano Lopez are next up for the Japanese. 2320: No immediate problem for Nishikori who comfortably holds for a 5-3 lead. 2316: Both players hold but Nishikori is now receiving treatment for an injury, appears to be upper right leg. 2307: Nishikori is rewarded for his expansive array of hitting. He breaks at 30-40 and now leads 3-2 in the second set. 2302: An exciting second set this despite the first four games all being holds. It’s 2-2 with both players giving their all. 2238: That is the first set for Nishikori. He takes it 6-2 with a composed volley at the net. 2234: Excellent game of tennis on the Lorenzi serve but Nishikori is able to claim the second break after umpteen deuces and will now serve for the first set at 5-2. Lorenzi really going for broke on his serve, with several double faults and brave second serves alike. 2212: Lorenzi’s good start is ended as Nishikori holds serve then break the Italian’s serve for a 2-1 lead.  2159: Final match of the evening sees Paolo Lorenzi, the home wildcard, take on Japanese 16th seed Kei Nishikori. This is the first meeting. Lorenzi is aiming to make the second round of his home tournament for the fourth consecutive time and has started well, holding serve. 2030: That’s the match for Kohlschreiber as he takes the second set 6-4. The German’s serving was very impressive with not a single break point faced. He will face Albert Ramos next up. 2021: It looked like we would have a similarly tight second set but Kohlschreiber has seized the initiative by breaking in the seventh game of the second set. He’s two games from the match now at 4-3. 1951: Surprisingly convincing ‘breaker for Kohlschreiber who takes it 7-2 against seed Raonic. 1944: We have a tiebreaker on Supertennis between the two men both wearing fluorescent tops. It could go either way here. 1927: Tussle so far between Kohlschreiber and Raonic. 3-3 in the first set. 1843: Qualifier Albert Montanes has triumphed in a three-set tussle over Martin Klizan. Montanes must be exhausted after his third match in three days. He will be hoping for a day off before facing top seed Novak Djokovic. 1758: Another result to tell you about, Pole Jerzy Janowicz has beaten qualifier Santiago Giraldo in straight sets. The next men’s match on the show courts will be Philipp Kohlschreiber against Milos Raonic. That will start at 7pm. Raonic has won the only previous meeting between the two, in three straight sets at this year’s Australian Open. 1755: Fognini triumphs, 6-4, 6-1. What a disappointment for Seppi who was poor in the second set. It does not get any easier for Fognini, he plays Rafael Nadal next. 1743: Fognini is now in total control against his compatriot with Seppi struggling to compete. He has snatched not one, but two breaks of serve and now leads 4-0 in a second set. We did not expect that. 1729: For a mere first round match this is remarkably tense but there is plenty of national pride at stake for Fognini and Seppi. There’s been plenty of long rallies but Fognini closes out the set with his eighth set point to win the first set 6-4. 1702: Fognini, the Italian No.2, is a break up against his higher-ranked opponent, as the home crowd watch keenly to see which one will qualify for the second round. 1648: Now we have the all Italian match between Fabio Fognini and Andreas Seppi, a match that even my Italian colleagues have difficulty decided who they want to win. Seppi leads the head-to-head 4-2. Meanwhile Janko Tipsarevic has withdrawn and his place in the men’s competition will now be taken by Lukas Rosol. 1622: Most of the action this afternoon has been in the women’s competition but one result to tell you about. Ernests Gulbis has triumphed in straight sets over Jarkko Nieminen, although he needed a closely-fought tiebreak in the second to emerge victorious. A Serb, either Janko Tipsarevic or Viktor Troicki is next for the qualifier. 1448: Cilic has also won, and despite the rising temperatures has barely broken sweat. 6-4, 6-2, the triumph over Golubev. Cilic will play Kevin Anderson in the second round. 1429: Victory for Starace! He’s clinched the final set 6-3, buoyed by the crowd’s support. A tremendous result for the Italian to knock out Stepanek. He faces Roger Federer in a mouth-watering second round match from an Italian perspective. 1414: It’s a close fought match now with neither Starace or Stepanek giving an inch. 3-3 final set in a match that has already lasted over two hours. Marin Cilic has the first set 6-4 against Andrey Golubev. 1343: What a game for Starace, as the crowd cheer on Centrale. He has broken at just the right time to take the second set 6-4 and level the match at one set all. We have a retirement unfortunately on Court 2. Xavier Malisse was already a set and a break down to qualifier Andrey Kuznetsov when he decided he could not continue. Kuznetsov is through to a second round match with Juan Martin Del Potro. Perfect start for Marin Cilic on Supertennis breaking Andrey Golubev, the qualifier, and he now leads 2-1. 1318: Juan Monaco is out of the tournament after Frenchman Benoit Paire recovers to win a final set 6-4. Paire could play countryman Julien Benneteau if he beats Nicolas Almagro. 1309: Potito’s delight is short-lived, a break straight back for Stepanek from deuce and it’s now 3-2 to the Italian.  1304: We have game on on Centrale! Storace has broken the Stepanek serve for a 3-1 at the start of the second set. 1249: Starace is wowing the crowd, a dreamy drop shot followed by a backhand down the line winner in one memorable game. But it’s not enough to get the break back as Stepanek closes out the first set 6-4 in 38 minutes. 1236: Victory for Ramos. And we have our first bagel of this year’s Championships – Hajek the victim. Ramos will play the winner of Philipp Kohlschreiber and Milos Raonic who play tonight. 1230: Predictable start on Centrale with Stepanek taking the early break to lead Starace 3-1. Paire has taken the first set on a tiebreaker against Monaco but the Argentine has hit back for a 5-1 advantage in the second. Ramos took the first set against Hajek and has now raced to a 5-0 lead in the second set. 1155: There were two men’s matches that started at 11am. Juan Monaco is level at 5-5 against Benoit Paire while Jan Hajek will serve for the set at 5-4 against Albert Ramos. 1150: Stepanek has won both matches against Storace, including a five-setter on the grass at Wimbledon in 2009. That match will start in ten minutes on Centrale. 1134: Welcome to live text commentary of the second day of men’s main draw competition here at the Foro Italico. It really is a day for the home fans to relish. They have no less than four men competing on Centrale today. First up at midday is Potito Starace against Radek Stepanek and then the top two Italians Fabio Fognini and Andreas Seppi compete in a first round clash no-one wanted. At 9pm tonight, Paolo Lorenzi goes up against 16th seed Kei Nishikori of Japan. Remember you can tweet me all your predictions to @ianbakersport.