PERUGIA/STARNBERG, May 31, 2026
The Internazionali di Tennis Città di Perugia | G.I.Ma. Tennis Cup have welcomed another high-profile presence in Pat Cash. The Australian, former world No. 4 and Wimbledon champion in 1987, is in Umbria supporting his compatriot Li Tu, currently ranked around No. 350 in the world and competing in the qualifying rounds of the ATP Challenger 125 event organised by MEF Tennis Events at the Tennis Club Perugia.
Pat Cash: “Sinner’s season remains incredible”
A true icon of world tennis, remembered for his legendary Wimbledon triumph in 1987 and his iconic celebration climbing into the stands, Pat Cash is in Perugia to follow his player Li Tu but is also closely watching developments at Roland Garros.
“Only Jannik knows exactly what happened in Paris,” Cash said, referring to Jannik Sinner’s surprise defeat. “It seems the heat may have caused him some issues. He looked like he was on his way to a comfortable win against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, but something clearly happened physically. Still, he is having an incredible season. I am sure he will find solutions to these challenges because he is a great player.”
Following Novak Djokovic’s exit at the hands of Joao Fonseca, the Roland Garros draw has opened up significantly. “This is a big opportunity for players like Alexander Zverev or Casper Ruud, but it could also be someone else. Roland Garros is a tournament that always produces surprises. The current unpredictability makes it very interesting.”
Cash also commented on Djokovic’s situation after his third-round loss: “Only Novak knows what he needs to do. Even though he doesn’t play many tournaments, he is still producing high-level tennis for his age. He probably needs more matches to reach peak form for the Slams. For Fonseca, it was a huge opportunity, and he took it. Now we will see if he can follow it up after this breakthrough.”
Speaking about his coaching work with Li Tu, Cash added: “I have been working with him for the past six months between Australia and Europe. The idea is to get him more matches on clay, a surface he is not fully used to. We arrived in Perugia a few hours ago, had our first training sessions, and everything here is perfect—from the city to the facilities.”
Wild cards for the qualifiers
“The club’s board is very proud of the cooperation with tournament director Francesco Cancellotti and MEF Tennis Events president Marcello Marchesini, who have given some of our players the opportunity to compete in the qualifying draw,” explained club sporting director Filippo Vitali.
“Edoardo Betti, Neri Bartolucci and Diego Fornaci are all products of our academy. This recognition is the result of a long-term project developed together with our tennis school staff Romeo Lavoratori and Federico Rosi. It reflects the identity and sporting tradition of our club. I wish all three players the very best, and I would like to end with a motto that represents our philosophy: ‘There are no labels to respect, only the joy of living and fighting.’”
