MILAN/STARNBERG, June 21, 2022

The ATP Challenger Tour clay-court swing in Italy continues this week with the 16th edition of the Aspria Tennis Cup in Milan. Main draw action of the €45,730 event kicked off on Monday with top seed Federico Coria booking his spot in the second round. The World No. 64 from Argentina eased past Pedja Krstin of Serbia 6-1, 6-1 and will next take on Belgian alternate Joris de Loore.

On Tuesday, second-seeded Frenchman Benoit Paire retired in his opening match against Alexey Vatutin. After the Russian secured the first set in the tie-break 8-6, Paire stopped playing due to personal reasons. Vatutin will next face Hungarian qualifier Fabian Marozsan.

Benoit paire retired in Milan pic.twitter.com/DcRgz1pSCk

— gabriel nieto (@K1ngabrielNieto) June 21, 2022

No. 8 seed Francesco Passaro advanced to the second round following a solid 6-0, 6-4 victory over Romanian youngster Nicolas David Ionel. The 21-year-old Italian, who started the season ranked World No. 600 and is currently sitting on 254th position, won 85 per cent of his first-service points and broke serve five times to prevail after one hour and nine minutes.

“This year I have practiced in a different way and was very focused during the preparations at the Centro FIT di Tirrenia. I have to thank the Federation for the opportunity. In addition, I have changed my mindset a lot. I am more positive on the court, I fight point by point, and the victories have had a beneficial effect,” said Passaro, who clinched one title on the ITF World Tennis Tour and reached two Challenger finals in Sanremo and Forli.

The Perugia native will next play Alexis Galarneau of Canada.

ATP Challenger Milan – Tuesday Results

Singles – First Round

Shintaro Mochizuki (JAP) b. Andrew Paulson (CZE) 6-0 6-1

Giovanni Fonio (ITA) b. Matteo Martineau (FRA) 6-3 7-6(6)

Luciano Darderi (ITA) b. Inigo Cervantes (ESP) 4-6 6-3 3-0 ret.

Alexis Galarneau (CAN) b. Federico Arnaboldi (ITA) 6-1 6-3

Francesco Passaro (ITA) b. Nicholas David Ionel (ROM) 6-0 6-4

Viktor Durasovic (NOR) b. Georgii Kravchenko (UCR) 3-6 6-2 7-5

Raul Brancaccio (ITA) b. Filip Peliwo (POL) 6-1 6-3

Fabian Marozsan (UNG) b. Juan Bautista Torres (ARG) 6-2 6-2

Marco Cecchinato (ITA) b. Leandro Riedi (SUI) 7-6(7) 6-4

Alexei Vatutin (RUS) b. Benoit Paire (FRA) 7-6(6) ret.

Doubles – First Round

Lomakin / Manafov (KAZ-UCR) b. Lammons / Withrow (USA-USA) 6-7(12) 6-3 10-8

Huey / Skugor (FIL-CRO) b. Cornea / Pavlasek (ROM-CZE) 6-4 7-5