A very high level scoreboard in the ATP 500 in Halle, the most prestigious tournament like Queen’s in preparation for Wimbledon. The beauty of six top 10 present, plus the reigning champion, Alexander Bublik. Furthermore, there is great curiosity about Italian colours, with as many as five Italians present.
Above all there is clearly Jannik Sinner, at his first tournament as the new world number 1. A far from simple draw for the South Tyrolean player who will face Tallon Griekspoor: the Dutchman put him in extreme difficulty this year in Miami, taking a set from him and putting great pressure on him. Then in the second round one between Marozsan and Safiullin and above all in the quarterfinals probably one between Tsitsipas and Struff. Adaptation to this surface will be tested immediately.
He will also play Matteo Berrettini: the Roman did not receive wild cards at Queen’s and in London he was not even able to ask for a special exempt, as Nakashima had asked for it before him. The Italian is therefore in Halle benefiting from the SE rule and we will see with what energy he will arrive after the journey made in Stuttgart: the debut will be against a qualified player to then find one between Giron and Rublev.
There will also be curiosity for the other Italians who were not lucky: few chances for Luciano Darderi who will find Jan-Lennard Struff. The Italian-Argentine hasn’t made the slightest adaptation to grass, having played the Perugia Challenger on clay this week. Flavio Cobolli he will face Hubert Hurkacz, at ease on this surface and already champion of this tournament. In the end Lorenzo Sonego who will have a more playable match against Miomir Kecmanovic but would most likely face Zverev in the round of 16.
