Sumit Nagal – Photo Daniele Combi/MEF Tennis Events
At the City of Perugia Tennis Internationals | GIMa. Tennis Cup it’s time for the round of 16. The ATP Challenger 125 tournament organized by MEF Tennis Events on the red clay courts of the Perugia Tennis Club is starting to get underway. After beating Nerman Fatic in straight sets on his debut, the number 6 seed Sumit Nagal made a great comeback to beat Alessandro Giannessi on Central Court with a score of 0-6 7-5 7-6( 5) after 2 hours and 49 minutes of battle. For the Indian tennis player, this is the seventh consecutive victory after the title won last week in the Challenger in Heilbronn, Germany. In the afternoon the rain came to interrupt the program with the suspension after just one game of the match between the number 2 seed, Laslo Djere and Jesper De Jong.
Nagal, struggling to defend his unbeaten record – He was one step away from defeat after a difficult start against the Italian qualifier Alessandro Giannessi, who had won the first set 6-0 and then savored the feat when he served for the match at 5-4 in the second. However, Sumit Nagal’s reaction came in the tenth game: managing to capitalize on the break, the number 6 seed regained confidence and finally prevailed in the tie-break of the third. “I tried to stay attached to the game until the last point, even if the sensations at the beginning were not good at all – the Indian’s words -. Coming from many matches won certainly helped me mentally, I was aware that I could turn it around.” With the one in the round of 16 of the International Tennis City of Perugia | GIMa. In fact, the Tennis Cup becomes seven consecutive successes for the world number 77, who is fresh from his sixth Challenger triumph achieved last week in Heilbronn: “I arrived in Perugia without the possibility of resting much, but I wanted to be there. The truth is that I like to travel and I have fun on the pitch. Playing tennis is what I love to do and playing matches makes me happy. In the last two years my mental approach has changed and this is certainly the main difference compared to the past”. In the quarterfinals, Nagal will face the winner of the match between the number 3 seeds Borna Coric and Maks Kasnikowski, scheduled for the evening session.
Seven blues chasing the quarterfinals – Thursday in the ATP Challenger 125 tournament organized by MEF Tennis Events will be more than ever marked by blue colours. There will be seven Italians who will try to gain access to the quarter-finals, with the certainty of already having three in the next round. In fact, derbies will be played between Matteo Gigante and Fabio Fognini, between Francesco Passaro and Franco Agamenone and the one between Luciano Darderi and Andrea Pellegrino. It will then be the turn of Stefano Travaglia, involved in the challenge with the number 4 seed, the German Daniel Altmaier.
Results for Wednesday 12 June
Round of 16
Sumit Nagal (6) b. Alessandro Giannessi (Q) 0-6 7-5 7-6(5)
