We have reached the semi-finals (starting at 11am) of the 40th International Under 18 Tournament “Città di Prato” which will see an Italy-Spain challenge in the men’s competition in the two matches between Garcia Paez-Beraldo and Seghetti-Cordoba which lead to the final match of the wool festival . In the women’s competition, the American Iyengar will face the Swedish Svahn and the Egyptian Salah will have the Austrian Tagger as her opponent. Access to Tc Prato is free and for the many enthusiasts it is an opportunity to see the future champions of world tennis.
“We are in the final stages of this tournament which is expressing a truly high technical level and very good and hard-fought challenges – explains Tc Prato sporting director Franco Mazzoni – we are waiting for many people for the last two days for the semi-finals and finals. The club is open and we will be happy to welcome many enthusiasts. Last year’s semi-finalist, Vittoria Paganetti, this year played the first round at the Internazionali Bnl d’Italia in Rome and this is a great satisfaction for us because anyone who passes through Città di Prato can really think of entering the circus of professional tennis ”.
In the men’s quarterfinals the Spaniard Carles Cordoba [8] in a truly hard-fought and entertaining match he beats the blue Daniele Rapagnetta (2) with a score of 61 46 62. In the semi-final of the lower part he will challenge the blue Samuele Seghetti who defeated the Romanian Calin Teodor Stirbu 63 76. In the upper part the favorite of the tournament the Chinese Tianhui Zhang is overcome by the Spaniard Luis Garcia Paez 64 46 62 after a match that lasted 3 hours and in the other semi-final match he will face the blue Lorenzo Beraldo (7) who is good to tame the Russian Kharlamov after losing the first set 64 he comes away winning 60 61.
In the women’s draw it is the American Maya Iyengar [8] to qualify for the penultimate act by beating the Ukrainian Drobysheva 46 63 62. Now the stars and stripes player will face the Swede Isabella Svahn who did well to defeat the Romanian Maia Ilinca Burcescu 36 63 76 in a match that lasted over three hours. In the lower part after managing to defeat the Tuscan Sveva Pieroni the Egyptian Jana Hossam Salah [5] defeats Swedish Lea Nilsson [2]finalist in Salsomaggiore, for 06 61 75. Now, to access the final, scheduled for Saturday 11 May at 2 pm, the Austrian coached by Francesca Schiavone present in the stands of Tc Prato, Lilli Tagger winner in Salsomaggiore and reached the quarterfinals at City of Florence which eliminated the Italian Ilary Pistola 61 75 thanks to her physicality.
Double
In the men’s competition, the Chinese-Korean duo Yeonsu Jeong and Tianhui Zhang are protagonists in the upper part while Samuele Seghetti and Jacopo Vasami are in the lower part.
In the women’s category, the Kazakh American couple composed of Asylzhan Arystanbekova and Olivia Center precedes the American duo Claire An and Christasha McNeil
The director of the tournament is maestro Antonio Maccioni while Riccardo De Biase has been designated as referee of the event
As tradition, the Loris Ciardi Trophy will be awarded to those who win the event twice in a row while the winners will be awarded the Nations Trophy, the Marini Industrie Trophy and the Checcacci Dealership Trophy.
Quarter Results
Male
ESP Luis Garcia Paez b CHN Tianhui Zhang [1] 64 46 62
ITA Lorenzo Beraldo [7] b Roman Kharlamov 46 60 61
ITA Samuele Seghetti b ROU Calin Teodor Stirbu 63 76
ESP Carles Cordoba [8] b ITA Daniele Rapagnetta [2] 61 46 62
Female
USA Maya Iyengar [8] b UKR Mariia Drobysheva 46 63 62
SWE Isabella Svahn b ROU Maia Ilinca Burcescu 36 63 76
AUT Lilli Tagger b ITA Ilary Pistola (WC) 61 75
EGY Jana Hossam Salah [5] b SWE Lea Nilsson [2] 06 61 75
Collateral events
Press Cup
During the tournament there will be numerous collateral events and among these there will be the padel challenge between the Tuscan journalists of the Ussi (Tuscany Sports Press Union) against the Tc Prato representative to win the Press Cup offered by the wool club .
Wheelchair Tennis
On Saturday 11 May from 10.30am there will be an exhibition between the best Tuscan wheelchair tennis players to raise awareness of the wheelchair activity which this year will have its tournament with the best players in the world during the Internazionali Bnl in Rome
Source: Press Office
