BERGAMO, February 9, 2016
The ATP Challenger Tour has arrived in Italy for the 11th edition of the €42,500 Internazionali di Tennis Trofeo Perrel-Faip, held on PlayIt indoors surface at the Pala Norda in Bergamo.
The first round matches took place on Monday and Tuesday and started with an early upset when Peter Gojowczyk knocked out top-seed Yuki Bhambri, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. The world number 201 from Germany, ranked exactly 100 places lower than the Indian, won 55% of the total points and converted five of his nine break point chances to prevail in one hour and 35 minutes.
Gojowczyk will play Alexander Kudryavtsev next. The 30-year-old Russian defeated Andrea Arnaboldi 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 11 minutes.
The other three top-seeds also fell in the opening round, as second favourite Ruben Bemelmans, who entered the draw with a wild card, lost to Marton Fucsovics 3-6, 4-6. The 24-year-old Hungarian hit eight aces, saved all of the four break points he faced and capitalized on two of his own to finish the encounter after 64 minutes. Fucsovics will play Hiroki Moriya in the second round, who ousted Jan Satral 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 11 minutes.
Egor Gerasimov took out third seed Nikoloz Basilashvili, winning 7-5, 6-3. The world number 184 from Belarus hit nine aces and converted four of his five break points to prevail in 65 minutes. Gerasimov takes on Igor Sijsling next, who rallied back to celebrate a 6-7, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Italian wild card Gianluca Mager in one hour and 46 minutes.
Despite the loss, the 21-year-old Italian was pretty satisfied with his performance, as Mager played his first match of the season. “I did not expect to play such a good match. I felt the ball well and did a good job on court today. Usually I struggle at the beginning of the season playing on indoor hard surfaces but it went pretty well,” Mager told after his first match on the tour since the Andria Challenger in November last year.
Gianluca Mager (photo: ATP CH Bergamo)
Farrukh Dustov knocked off fourth seed Mirza Basic, winning 4-6, 3-6, 6-4. The 29-year-old from Uzbekistan fired 17 aces and won 73% of his first service points to seal victory in one hour and 45 minutes. Dustov will face Gregoire Barrere next, who won the battle of the qualfiers with Dzmitry Zhyrmont 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 in two hours and 39 minutes.
