Lorenzo Musetti in the photo – Photo Getty Images
Last year there was an inkling of it, this season it is confirmed: strategically placed and at the same time as the second week of a Master 1000, the Challenger 175 end up offering a seeding more similar to that of an ATP 250, because they allow high-end players, who left early and against predictions, to return to compete immediately, having the possibility of gaining a loot of points and money that is not to be thrown away.
Thanks to the less than favorable results in the main draw in Rome, the Piedmont Open, which is being played on the Turin courts of the Circolo della Stampa Sporting, was able to benefit from a truly remarkable entry list, with a cut-off set at 92 , with the alternate Rodionov entered, as the last, directly into the scoreboard with a ranking of 117 and a list of seeded players that would be the envy of stages of the major circuit: number 1, Musetti N°29 ATP, then the winner of Cagliari, the Argentine Navone, 31, then Arnaldi 37, Sonego, a home player who was born and trains in this very club, 47, the great Italian surprise of the last few weeks, Luciano Darderi, 54, the German Hanfmann, 59, the Brazilian Seyboth Wild, 61, closes.
It’s a shame that Flavio Cobolli, 57, isn’t among these, forced to withdraw this morning due to an abdominal problem; his place in the main draw will be taken by a lucky loser.
Having the first eight Top 60 seeds – let’s discount Seyboth Wild by one… – is no small feat and it allows the Turin tournament a significant leap forward, if we consider that last year the first favorite was Sebastian Baez N° 40, the second Galan 94 and the last five were all above the hundredth position.
And as a good addition to the Turin ranks there are two former Top 10 players such as Fabio Fognini and David Goffin and a Luca Nardi eager to confirm himself at the levels shown at the start of the season.
The only unknown remains the adverse weather which could ravage the tournament as happened in the last edition, with the organization forced in ’23 to have indoor semi-finals and finals played, changing the surface. Fingers crossed.
The big names will enter the fray starting from Thursday and Turin could have another great tournament.
Okay, the ATP Finals are something else, but this Challenger is really worth much more.
Twelve months ago, seeing the scoreboard for the sister stage in Bordeaux was gnawing, now the roles have been reversed.
From our correspondent in Turin, Elis Calegari
