STARNBERG, November 15, 2020

Four qualifiers have completed the main draw of the Sparkassen Challenger Val Gardena Südtirol held at the Tennis Club Ortisei in South Tyrol, Italy. Germany’s Johannes Haerteis edged out top seed Alexey Vatutin of Russia in Sunday’s final round of qualifying.

The World No. 310 from Nuremberg sent down eight aces and won 86 per cent of his first-service points to secure a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory in one hour and 28 minutes. Haerteis will take on compatriot Daniel Masur in the opening round of the main draw. Vatutin, however, will join the German as a lucky loser, replacing 2010 Val Gardena finalist Lukas Lacko from Slovakia. TheVolgograd native will face Blaz Rola of Slovenia.

Altug Celikbilek of Turkey eased past Italian wild card entry Franceso Forti 6-2, 6-2 to set a first-round meeting with Zdenek Kolar from the Czech Republic.

Andrea Pellegrino had to go the distance to beat No. 3 seed Evgeny Karlovskiy from Russia. The 23-year-old Italian withstood 15 aces and broke his opponent five times to prevail 7-6(5), 0-6, 6-2 in one hour and 41 minutes. Pellegrino will next play No. 6 seeded compatriot Federico Gaio.

Russian Pavel Kotov will start his main draw campaign against US-American Maxime Cressy. Kotov fought past Michael Geerts of Belgium 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in the final round of qualifying. The encounter lasted two hours and one minute.