Matteo Gigante – Photo Daniele Combi/MEF Tennis Events
A new day dedicated to the blue colors at the City of Perugia Tennis Internationals | GIMa. Tennis Cup. Eleven Italians were chasing a place in the second round of the main draw of the ATP Challenger 125 tournament organized by MEF Tennis Events and six achieved their goal. Four derbies enriched the program and brought many people to watch the matches in the stands of the Tennis Club Perugia from the early hours of the morning. Matteo Gigante achieved a convincing success as he got the better of Samuel Vincent Ruggeri on his debut with a score of 7-5 6-3. In the third match played on the Central Court, Stefano Travaglia overcame Chun Hsin Tseng, 6-4 6-1, while Andrea Pellegrino faced compatriot Giovanni Fonio 6-3 7-5. Federico Arnaboldi’s run continues and, starting from the qualifiers, he prevailed over lucky loser Gianluca Mager with a score of 7-6(5) 7-5. In the evening, it will be the turn of the first favorite Luciano Darderi to make his debut against the promising Federico Cinà and Fabio Fognini, who will face Enrico Dalla Valle.
Gigante, the Top 100 dream passes through Perugia – A near qualification for the Roland Garros main draw and already two Challenger titles won this season in Nonthaburi and Tenerife: Matteo Gigante is ready to do well in Perugia too. On his debut, the Roman tennis player beat the qualifier Samuel Vincent Ruggeri with a score of 7-5 6-3. An exam passed with flying colors by the world number 132: “I’m very happy with my performance, it wasn’t an obvious match at all. I had already met him in Naples and on that occasion too he had put me in difficulty. I was good at managing the break behind in the first and then loosening up in the second.” There were also some special loved ones cheering in the stands for “Giga”: “My mother and my aunt were able to attend the match. This is a bit of an advantage for us Italians when we play at home and it’s always a great emotion.” Coming into the next round against the winner of the match between Fabio Fognini and Enrico Dalla Valle, Gigante is aiming hard for the top 100: “If I’m well I know I can have my say, the season is still long and I’ll try to give my all to reach the objective”. Added to Passaro’s victories and that of Gigante himself are also the successes of Stefano Travaglia, Federico Arnaboldi, Alessandro Giannessi, Andrea Pellegrino and Franco Agamenone, who brought the number of Italians to seven in the second round of the City of Perugia Tennis Internationals | GIMa. Tennis Cup. And the number is destined to rise to nine with the Darderi-Cinà and Fognini-Dalla Valle derbies closing the day’s program
Altmaier: “Sinner is a different player from the others” – Seeded number 4 in Perugia, Daniel Altmaier won his debut against the Spaniard Nikolas Sanchez Izquierdo 6-2 6-3. An excellent test to start his adventure in Perugia, the city where he plays the tournament for the first time, but which he had already visited as a tourist: “I had already been here, the city is beautiful. At the Tennis Club Perugia there is an incredible atmosphere, especially in the evening. The playing conditions suit my shots well and after a series of negative results, I really feel I can move forward here.” Among the most prestigious victories in the German’s career, those achieved in the third round of Roland Garros 2022 over Matteo Berrettini and the one obtained in the second round, again in Paris but in 2023, over the new world number one Jannik Sinner stand out: “For me they are two indelible memories, especially because I beat two of the best Italian players ever. Sinner has recently reached the top of the rankings, but already in 2023 he had demonstrated that he is a different player from the others. I wish Matteo to return to his highest levels, now comes his favorite season, on grass, and I’m sure he will recover. Both are an example for the entire Italian tennis movement.”
MEN’S CHALLENGER – SINGLES: Perugia (Italy), clay
12.30 Nagal S.
