All ready for the edition number 40 of the Under 18 International Youth Tournament “Città di Prato”. The event sees the return of juniors from all continents and in this special issue, young tennis players from the States and South Americans will also be at the start with the Brazilians who could become protagonists.
The first edition of the tournament was held in 1984 and until 1993 the event was by invitation, first with Italian players and later also with foreign players. In 1993 the Alessandria tournament gave up and Prato took over with two competitions in the same year. Since 1994 the event has been under the aegis of the ITF junior.
Between 1995 and 1997 came three golden years, with the successive triumphs of Tommy Haas, Ivan Ljubicic and Roger Federer. In 2003 it was Andy Murray’s turn, while the most prestigious final was in 2013, the one between Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev, won by the Russian and in the draw were players of the caliber of Khachanov, Safiullin, Berrettini, Hurkacz, and Varillas.
Among women, Yulia Putintseva’s double in 2009 and 2010 stands out, while Roberta Vinci lifted the trophy in 1999preceding two other future protagonists of the WTA rankings, the Russians Vera Zvonareva and Dinara Safina.
As many as 40 nations were present, representing all the continents, demonstrating that Prato confirms itself as a very popular event for its hospitality and with a tradition that has seen many young champions play and win, who then entered the top ten of international tennis.
The tournament director will be the master Antonio Maccioni while he was designated as the referee of the event Riccardo De Biase.
The qualifiers will start on Sunday 5 May and will end on Monday 6 May with the matches in the main draw starting on Tuesday 7 May with finals, on the central court named after Loris Ciardi and Lapo Focosi, scheduled for Saturday 11 May.
The main draw includes 32 players for men and 32 for women and to these are added the doubles tournaments. In the qualifying tournament the draw is 32 players and for both men and women 4 players and 4 women will be admitted.
During the event, access to the tournament will be free and it will be a great opportunity for the many fans to see the future champions of world tennis live.
The Prato Tennis Club is the flagship of a tennis movement that has brought numerous championships with the women’s team and a very beautiful place where you can follow fun and exciting matches.
As tradition, the Loris Ciardi Trophy for 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. The event is sponsored by the Municipality of Prato and by CONI.
“Forty years is an important number and for this we must thank our fathers who believed in this tournament – explains Marco Romagnoli, President of Tc Prato – it will be a special edition and on this occasion we will try to give all the fans of Prato and Tuscany the opportunity to see the future tennis champions. From Wednesday until Friday we will have an evening session from 5pm.”
“Tennis is experiencing a magical moment and Prato has been at the center of youth tennis for over 40 years – says the Mayor of Prato, Matteo Biffoni – I’m pleased that all the city’s clubs are united for this event and to give voice to the discipline.”
“The reason for this super moment in tennis is due to the training thanks to the internationally recognized Istituto Superiore Lombardi – highlights Guido Turi, Fitp national councilor – and by the organization of tournaments like the one in Prato which allow the transition from youth to senior tennis. Città di Prato is an important tradition that is the heritage of world tennis.”
“The Under 18 International Tournament is a flagship of Prato sport – explains Massimo Taiti, provincial delegate of Coni of Prato – and demonstrates the city’s vocation for this discipline and above all a truly unique organization recognized by the players and coaches.”
“Tuscany is fortunate to have three very high-level youth events such as Florence, Prato and Santa Croce – highlights Luigi Brunetti president of the Tuscan Fitp – each with its own particular location but the beauty will be seeing those who become champions play and also those who don’t become champions but will have this tournament in their memory”.
“This year the club’s sporting activity is really alive and this tournament confirms the excellent relationships with the Florence coach, coach Sartori with whom we have a collaborative relationship as well as with Francesca Schiavone – says Franco Mazzoni sporting director of Tc Prato – and the wild cards were agreed together and this is a really important aspect for our staff. We will have the meeting on Monday 6th May junior day where the children of the Tc Prato tennis school will play together with the future world tennis champions”.
“The ITF Città di Prato is among the top 30 junior tournaments in the world and has a truly unique history and tradition – highlights Giancarlo Palumbo, Fitp Under 20 manager – also on this occasion the best Italian under 17s will play and through a pre-qualification tournament we will also try to include the most promising young people to gain experience”.
“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 – explains Enrico Bessi, vice president of TC Prato – and an exhibition among 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 and to give the opportunity to start playing through the CIP (Italian Paralympic Committee) and the various bodies that support the activity”.
Entry list 40th International Under 18 Tournament City of Prato:
MEN’S BOARD
The entry list of the men’s draw sees the Chinese number 40 in the ITF ranking as the favourite Tianhui Zhang followed by the blue, finalist in the City of Florence, Daniele Rapagnetta, they follow Korean Yeonsu Jeong (75) and Swedish Ludwig Hede (82). The first 10 registered players are inside the top 103 in the world with the Romanian Stefan Horia Haita (83) and the player from Nicaragua Joaquin Guilleme (87) who, like the Spaniard Roger Pacual Ferra (99) and the Brazilian Nicolas Oliveira, are among the top eight favourites. Also worth following is the Finnish Oskari Paldanius, semi-finalist at the Città di Firenze. Among the Italians a poker of young people all very promising like Samuele Seghetti, Pierluigi Basile, Lorenzo Belardo and Jacopo Vasami.
WOMEN’S BOARD
In the women’s, the top eight players are also among the top 100 junior athletes in the world with the Kazakh Asylzhan Arystanbekova (41) who is the favorite followed by the Swede Lea Nilsson (54), and then the two Americans Christasha McNeill (63) e Claire An (78) close the top four athletes in the ranking. They follow the Italian Angelica Sara (84), the Egyptian Jana Hossam Salah (85), the Thai Lidia Podgorichani (89) and the Peruvian Francesca Maguina Bunikowska (92). Follow the Austrian Lilli Tagger, capable of passing the qualifiers and reaching the quarterfinals at the ITF Under 18 in Florence, defeated by the winner, thanks to varied and entertaining tennis. Among the Italians Greta Petrillo, Viola Bedini and the Tuscan Anastasia Bertacchi, winner of the Italian under 16 championship in 2022.
