Before gamers get pleasure from glory on the ATP Tour, they need to first move the ATP Challenger Tour. One of the longest-running Italian Challenger tournaments, the Serena Wines 1881 – Acqua Maniva Tennis Cup, which is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this week, has witnessed this primary hand. The Challenger 75 occasion has hosted world-class gamers earlier than they turned family names.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz was a finalist in Cordenons simply three years in the past as a 17 yr outdated. In 2013, Pablo Carreno Busta was topped champion two weeks after he cracked the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the primary time.
Though followers have seen a plethora of expertise come by way of Cordenons, match director Serena Raffin has additionally endured by way of hardship to proceed the match. In 2013, her father and match founder Eddi Raffin suffered a coronary heart assault, passing away aged 61. While the occasion celebrates the 20-year milestone this week, the reminiscence of Eddi lives on.
“It is particular as a result of I really feel he’s with me. It’s an odd feeling. I really feel he’s happy with me,” Serena stated. “I believed it was not possible, however nothing is not possible. You can all the time attempt to discover a totally different answer. We discovered it and I feel my father is glad.”
Eddi and Serena Raffin. Credit: Raffin Family
Eddi casted a imaginative and prescient to host tournaments in Italy and little did he know the way a lot the Cordenons Challenger would affect the Friuli Venezia Giulia area. It is now seen as the massive occasion in that area and followers can catch a glimpse of professional tennis for simply six euros.
When Eddi handed ten years in the past, Serena determined to hold on the custom. She put collectively a crew and took on a big duty to turn into the match director. In 2013, simply months after Eddi’s passing, the Cordenons Challenger nonetheless befell.
“I don’t know the way we managed to organise the match that yr,” Raffin stated. “After that, it turned greater than per week of tennis. It turned one thing that we can not cease doing as a result of it might be unhealthy for his reminiscence. It’s good to assume it’s been 20 years and a bit unhappy to consider 10 years with out my father. But additionally it’s a pleasure to hold on this custom.”
Out of 24 lively Challenger tournaments in Italy, Cordenons is the third longest-running occasion (Barletta, Rome). Three gamers competed in Cordenons earlier than ascending to the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings: Alcaraz, Carreno Busta and Mariano Puerta.
Carlos Alcaraz competes on the Cordenons Challenger in 2020. Credit: Antonio Ros
The previous two champions, Zhang Zhizhen (2022) and Francisco Cerundolo (2021), have since graduated to the ATP Tour. In 2020, Bernabe Zapata Miralles gained the title, defeating Alcaraz within the championship match, which was the 20-year-old’s lone last loss on the Challenger stage (4-1).
Two residence heroes have gained in Cordenons: Filippo Volandri (2008) and Paolo Lorenzi, who triumphed in 2012 and in 2018.
“I all the time had good recollections. I all the time had a particular bond there,” Lorenzi stated. “The first yr I gained there, Eddi was the match director. It was wonderful to win once more when Serena was the match director. What I keep in mind essentially the most was the gang. Because each time I used to be enjoying in Cordenons, from the primary spherical it was full of individuals supporting me loads.”
Italian Riccardo Bonadio, who was born and raised 15 miles from Cordenons, emphasised the significance of the occasion. Seeded third this week in Cordenons, Bonadio is enjoying the occasion for the sixth consecutive yr.
“I used to be born right here so I do know in regards to the situation of tennis on this area and that is the principle match of this area,” Bonadio stated. “It’s an enormous alternative for individuals to look at tennis as a result of we don’t have plenty of occasions like this one. It’s 20 years that they’ve been doing this match and I hope they are going to do it for extra time.”
Former World No. 33 Lorenzi, who’s now the Cagliari Challenger match director, additionally stated: “Serena, congratulations for these 20 years of the Cordenons Challenger. You and your crew made an incredible job for me, I all the time beloved enjoying there. I miss not enjoying there. I want to you and your crew one other 20, 30 years of this match.”
Paolo Lorenzi gained two Challenger titles in Cordenons throughout his profession. Credit: Antonio Ros
–Reporting contributed by Josh Meiseles
Source: www.atptour.com