BERGAMO, February 20, 2018

The ATP Challenger Tour has returned to Italy for the €64,000 Internazionali di Tennis Trofeo Faip-Perrel held at the Pala Norda in Bergamo.

No. 3 seed Jurgen Zopp opened his title bid on Monday with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Spaniard Bernabé Zapata Miralles. The 29-year-old from Estonia sent down seven aces, winning 86 per cent of his first service points to finish the encounter after one hour and 26 minutes. Zopp awaits the winner of the encounter between Italian lucky loser Luca Vanni and Pedro Martínez of Spain.

Mohamed Safwat from Egypt fought past Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 7-5, 3-6, 6-2. The World No. 226 from Cairo capitalized on four of his 12 break point chances to secure victory in two hours and nine minutes. Safwat will next take on either Lithuanian qualifier Laurynas Grigelis and No. 4 seed Mats Moraing of Germany.

Thiemo de Bakker emerged victorious from the battle of the wild card entries with Spanish teenager Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who won the junior Wimbledon title last year. The 29-year-old from the Netherlands outpointed his opponent 65-51 in 63 minutes. Next up for de Bakker will be the winner of the first round match between #NextGenATP Jaume Munar and Italy’s Stefano Napolitano.

The tournament is led by home hope Matteo Berrettini, who will open his Bergamo campaign against compatriot Matteo Viola.