Fognini lands maiden Masters title in Monte Carlo
Van Dijk deserves PFA award, says Klopp
Flamboyant Italian Fabio Fognini followed up his shock victory over Rafael Nadal with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Serbian Dusan Lajovic to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said he would be disappointed if defender Virgil van Dijk missed out on the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Player of the Year award as he has had an “outstanding season”.
Dutchman Van Dijk has transformed Liverpool’s defence since joining the club from Southampton in Jan. 2018, and has been key in the Merseyside club keeping 18 clean sheets in the league this season.
The 27-year-old has missed just 35 minutes Premier League action all season as Liverpool edge closer to a first top division title in 29 years. claim his maiden Masters title in Monte Carlo on Sunday.
The 31-year-old triumphed despite suffering from an apparent muscle problem to become the lowest seeded player, at 13, to claim the title since Gustavo Kuerten in 1999.
Five weeks before the French Open kicks off at Roland Garros, Fognini produced some brilliant tennis on Monte Carlo’s red clay to snatch his ninth ATP singles title.
Lajovic, who had not lost a set this week before Sunday, did not have the weapons to counter Fognini’s tactical nous.
“Would I feel sad if Van Dijk doesn’t win Player of the Year? For him yes, of course,” he told reporters.
“He’s had an outstanding season. Will he have deserved it? Of course. It was last season when (Manchester City’s) Kevin De Bruyne and (Liverpool’s) Mo Salah both played unbelievable seasons and Mo won it.
“We were happy about that and not because De Bruyne lost it, because he would have deserved it as well. I think it is the same again in this case.”
The winners, voted for by the PFA members, will be announced on April 28.