TODI/STARNBERG, August 11, 2026
Two Challenger finals already this season, a dream to chase and a strong desire to finish the year on a high. Marco Cecchinato made a winning start at the Internazionali di Tennis Città di Todi | Sidernestor Tennis Cup, defeating Nick Hardt 6-3, 7-5 in convincing fashion.
The former World No. 16 remained in control for most of the match, helped by the enthusiastic support of the crowd on the Centre Court at Tennis Club Todi 1971. The Palermo native reached the quarterfinals of last year’s ATP Challenger 75, organised by MEF Tennis Events, but his connection with the Umbrian city goes well beyond his results on court.
CECK MODE: ON. ⚡️
Todi lo accoglie, Ceck risponde sul campo.
Secondo turno conquistato. 🎾#tennis #InternazionaliTodi #ATPChallenger #Cecchinato pic.twitter.com/lROjuhBLzv— MEF tennis events (@meftennisevents) August 10, 2026
Later in the day, the opening day of the main draw also featured an all-Italian clash, with Filippo Romano defeating Massimo Giunta 6-2, 6-2.
The final match on Centre Court produced one of the day’s most exciting battles. Czech teenager Maxim Mrva, a former World No. 2 junior, edged Pierluigi Basile 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 after two hours and 46 minutes of high-quality tennis. The clash between the two 2007-born players was fiercely contested, with Basile creating his opportunities against a talented opponent whose exceptional speed of execution repeatedly caused problems.
Cecchinato: “I have put myself back into the game”
A career-high ranking of World No. 16, a historic semifinal at Roland Garros in 2018 and three ATP titles: Marco Cecchinato’s career is filled with major achievements, but the 33-year-old believes there may still be more to come.
Turning 34 on September 30, the Palermo native is not content simply to compete. He wants to give himself another chance to create special memories on court.
“I have played in Todi many times. The Marchesini family always treats me wonderfully, and I’m happy to be here,” Cecchinato said. “At the same time, in 2027 I would like to be playing at an even higher level. I’m training a lot to try to finish this season in the best possible way, and I’m making a lot of sacrifices at these tournaments.
“I have put myself back into the game, and I know I have to go through the Challenger Tour if I want to experience the main circuit again. I hope I can get back into the Top 100. Then we’ll see what kind of assessment I can make of this long career.”
For now, Cecchinato has already taken the first step. The No. 3 seed opened his Todi campaign with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Hardt and will face either wildcard Francesco Forti or qualifier Michele Mecarelli in the second round.
