BERGAMO/STARNBERG, June 30, 2024

In his second tournament after a 14-months suspension, former top-100 player Andrej Martin of Slovakia clinched the title of the eighth edition of the Trofeo AZIMUT. He defeated Italian teenager Gianluca Cadenasso 6-3, 6-3 in Sunday’s singles final of the ITF World Tennis Tour M15 event in Bergamo.

“Goals? I’ll think about them in 2025. Right now I want to enjoy my comeback,” said Martin. During the award ceremony, the 35-year-old vowed never to forget the week spent at the Tennis Club Citta dei Mille, where he won his first tournament after returning from a long suspension due to a positive doping test.

“The hardest part of these two years? Not being able to do what I do best,” Martin said. “I knew I would come back, which made the wait even harder. When I did something, it was always with my return in mind. I also had fun moments and did many things, but I never dedicated myself to anything 100 per cent. I just had to wait, and now I’m happy to do what I desire. I worked hard to do what I love. The hardest moment was probably the beginning because I didn’t expect it. But it happened, and I tried to live those two years as best as I could.”

Martin thanked the club, praised the beauty of Bergamo, and appreciated the warm reception. “Today was my seventh match,” the World No. 1521 said. “I improved day by day. I believe Gianluca is a very talented player but lacks experience. This factor helped me a lot. I focused on my game, trying to maintain a high level throughout the encounter. He had ups and downs, which is normal for such a young player. I never lost concentration, allowing me to win in two sets.”

Martin clinched his 11th career title on the ITF Pro Circuit in addition to his 11 triumphs on the ATP Challenger Tour. It has been Martin’s first title win since 2019.