CORDENONS/STARNBERG, August 13, 2023
Home favourite Matteo Gigante is the champion of the 20th edition of the Serena Wines 1881 – Acqua Maniva Tennis Cup, one of the longest-running ATP Challenger Tour tournaments in Italy. The No. 4 seed of the €73,000 clay-court event defeated Lukas Neumayer of Austria 6-0, 6-2 in the singles final on Sunday evening.
Gigante battled his way to the title match with wins in the bottom half of the draw over Ukrainian alternate Vladyslav Orlov, Slovenia’s Blaz Rola, Hernan Casanova of Argentina and local wild card entry Enrico Dalla Valle.
The 21-year-old lefty from Rome didn’t face a break point in the final and broke Neumayer’s serve five times to prevail after one hour and seven minutes.
The moment Matteo Gigante captured his second Challenger title of the year!#ATPChallenger | @EurosportingExp pic.twitter.com/E1zhVTx4zg
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) August 13, 2023
“Paradoxically, this was the easiest match of the tournament considering the first round lasted over three hours,” said Matteo Gigante. “I played really well and never gave him a chance to get back into the match. I need to find some consistency on and off the court to further express my best tennis. Now, I can’t wait to head to New York and fight for a spot in the main draw of the US Open.”
Gigante captured his second ATP Challenger Tour career title following his maiden triumph in Tenerife, Spain at the beginning of the season. The World No. 202 pocketed €9,880 in prize money as well as 75 ATP Ranking points.
20th anniversary in Cordenons
The Serena Wines 1881 – Acqua Maniva Tennis Cup is held at the Eurotennis Club in Cordenons, situated in the Province of Pordenone in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The tennis venue is part of the wellness and fitness complex Eurosporting and was founded in 1978 by Edi Aldo Raffin. After his death in 2013, his daughter Serena has become the tournament director.
“It is special because I feel he is with me. It’s a strange feeling. I feel he is proud of me,” Serena said, quoted by the ATP website. “I thought it was impossible, but nothing is impossible. You can always try to find a different solution. We found it and I think my father is happy.”
