MILAN, June 27, 2021
Gian Marco Moroni captured his maiden title on the ATP Challenger Tour by lifting the trophy of the €44,820 Aspria Tennis Cup, held on the clay courts of the Aspria Harbour Club in Milan, Italy this week.
The No. 8 seed, who entered the main draw with a wild card, defeated the tournament’s top favourite Federico Coria of Argentina 6-3, 6-2 in Sunday’s singles final.
El Búfalo seizes the challenge 🐃
🇮🇹 Gian Marco Moroni upsets No. 1 seed Coria 6-3, 6-2 to claim the first #ATPChallenger title of his career in Milan @el___bufalo | @AspriaTennisCup pic.twitter.com/DEmo0sg7WP
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) June 27, 2021
Moroni, nicknamed El Búfalo (the buffalo), saved all four break points he faced and capitalized on three of his own five break-point opportunities to prevail after one hour and 25 minutes.
“As before every match, I allowed myself a pre-match nap. This helped me to relax,” Moroni said with a smile. The Rome native knocked out No. 2 seed Holger Rune from Denmark in the semi-finals.
“Against Coria you can’t afford to be in a hurry. His strength is his consistency during the rallies. So I had to take the point, but in the right ways and at the right times.”
The World No. 257, who is a big basketball fan, pocketed €6,190 in prize money as well as 80 ATP Ranking points. Moroni, winner of one trophy on the ITF Pro Circuit in Reus, Spain three years ago, is projected to crack the Top 220 again, getting close to his career-high of World No. 209.
“For me it doesn’t change much,” Moroni said after recording his first win over a Top-100 player. “The positive thing about this tournament is the confirmation that the work with my team is the right one. We must continue on this path and do the best possible, because the level will rise and I will have to improve.”
