CERVIA/STARNBERG, May 28, 2026
The first edition of the CAME Cup – Città di Cervia, an ATP Challenger 50 tournament with a prize money of €56,700, proved to be an outstanding success, bringing international professional tennis back to the Adriatic city 35 years after the historic Challenger Series event won by Claudio Mezzadri in 1991.
Held from May 17 to 23 at the Polisportiva 2000 Tennis Club, the tournament exceeded expectations both on and off the court. Blessed with excellent weather throughout the week, the event featured highly competitive matches, numerous Italian and local Romagna players making deep runs, and consistently packed stands from the qualifying rounds through to the finals.
Positioned between the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and Roland Garros, the Cervia Challenger quickly established itself as a valuable stop on the European clay-court calendar. For the organizers, the successful transition from the ITF Future level to the ATP Challenger Tour represented a major achievement.
“One of our main goals was to promote Cervia through this event and make it accessible to everyone, especially young people, which is why we decided to offer free admission,” said Maurizio Tappi, president of Polisportiva 2000 Tennis Club. “The response from the public was fantastic. Even during qualifying we had full stands, more than we expected. We also appreciated the positive interaction between the fans and the players, who were incredibly available and friendly throughout the week.”
Tappi also praised the collaboration with tournament officials, including ATP supervisor Christian Knabe and tournament director Carlos Bernardes. “It was a wonderful adventure. We entered the world of professional tennis and the ATP Tour, something almost completely new for us, and I believe we handled the experience very well. It was truly a beautiful week.”
The success of the tournament even sparked discussions about potentially upgrading the event in the future. “We always prefer to consolidate every step we take,” Tappi added. “But if we receive strong support from the new local administration, we could certainly consider moving to a higher Challenger category.”
The singles title went to Spain’s Max Alcala Gurri, who completed a remarkable week in Cervia and received the trophy from Hera Group CEO Orazio Iacono. The final ceremony also featured celebrity chef Carlo Cracco and the president of the Emilia-Romagna region, Michele de Pascale, who congratulated the organizers on the event’s success.
An emotional Michele Montalbini, the driving force behind the organization, reflected proudly on what had been accomplished.
“We really did it, and it was beautiful,” Montalbini said. “We brought an ATP Challenger to a small club surrounded by pine trees, and people were able to experience professional tennis up close. It was amazing to see more than forty children working as ball kids, interacting every day with professional players. That’s an experience they will never forget.”
He also highlighted the presence of several rising stars, including 17-year-old Moise Kouame, who travelled directly from Cervia to Roland Garros.
“After this incredible week, I feel proud of what we achieved together as a team of friends. That was the real secret behind making such a huge step forward in such a short time. Of course, there are always things to improve, but for a first edition I would say it went very well.”
Tournament director Carlos Bernardes, who had also overseen the Challenger event in Cesenatico earlier this year, shared similar enthusiasm.
“After visiting the venue during the preparation phase, I was already convinced the public would respond positively, and that’s exactly what happened,” Bernardes said. “When you combine that with the passion and warmth people here have for tennis, you can understand why the tournament was such a success in every aspect. Personally, it was another fantastic experience thanks to the spectators, players, officials and staff. I’m grateful for the trust placed in me and I hope to return to Romagna very soon.”
