By Antonio Milesi
Three top-100 and very first-rate names enrich the entry list of the Perrel-FAIP Trophy. Borna Coric and Lucas Pouille lead a group of players in which the baby phenomenon Landaluce stands out and players with a great past such as Herbert, Djere and Kukushkin: everyone’s goal is the main draw of the Australian Open. Italy is focusing on Luca Nardi.
A former winner of a Masters 1000, a former top-10 player (as well as a former Slam semi-finalist) and a couple of baby phenomena: the player pool of Rovereto Perrel-FAIP Trophy ($140,000, indoor) it presents itself like this, in the best possible way, maintaining the tradition of the Bergamo tournament and improving the entry list of the first edition of the Palabaldresca tournament, which in February 2023 had not even had a top-100. This year there will be at least three, and the two highest-ranked players can be defined as “top of the range” for a Challenger event. Leading the entry list is Borna Coricborn in 1996 and former ATP number 12, someone who only two years ago won the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati. The Croatian will be in Rovereto to secure a place in the draw at the Australian Open 2025, the same goal as Lucas Pouille. The Frenchman has just returned to the ATP top-100 after a complicated period, but at thirty years old he is convinced he can still do something important. We are talking about a player who only a few years ago reached the semi-final at the Australian Open (when he was coached by Amelie Mauresmo), as well as boasting a fourth at the US Open, complete with victory against Rafael Nadal. Among other things, he is a very complete player, of the typical French school, beautiful and spectacular to look at. The British player closes the trio of ATP top-100 Jacob Fearnleyone of the best stories of 2024. Having turned professional after a long time at an American university, in just over three months he entered the top 100 thanks to victories on the Challenger circuit (and with the experience of a match in Wimbledon against Novak Djokovic). Born in 2001, he is the same age as Jack Draper who won the Perrel-FAIP Trophy last year and is today among the top-15. The two have had a very different path, but who knows, this tournament might launch Fearnley just like his compatriot did.
LANDALUCE, THE STELLA OF THE FUTURE
All eyes will be on the very young Spaniard Martin Landaluceone of the most promising young players on the circuit. Born in 2006, he seems destined to be Carlos Alcaraz’s most credible sidekick in the years to come. This year he has climbed around 300 positions and recently won the rich Olbia Challenger. Speaking of young people, there will also be the Croatian Dino Prizmic, born in 2005, who dropped to number 380 after last year – still of junior tournament age – he rose to 155th position. This year he started by qualifying for the Australian Open, then an injury stopped him for over two months and the return was not easy. Now he is on the rise, as demonstrated a few weeks ago with the semi-final in Mouilleron le Captif, and sees Rovereto as the right opportunity to go back up. As often happens in Challenger tournaments, there is a fascinating mix between young and experienced tennis players. This last category is represented by the highly decorated Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Not only was he one of the best doubles players of the last 20 years, but he is also a former winner of the Perrel-FAIP Trophy: he won in 2016, a success that started a climb that a few years later would take him to number 36 in the rankings Singles ATP. A player from another era, whose serve and volley is always a pleasure to watch. Also on the field is Laslo Djere, who was number 27 in the world and boasts two ATP titles, including the “500” in Rio de Janeiro, without forgetting the eternal Mikhail Kukushhkin, born in 1987 and still very competitive. The Frenchman, the Serbian and the Kazakh are part of that small group of players not too far from the hundredth ATP position, which will represent the borderline for direct admission to the Australian Open. Everyone chose Rovereto because the last points will be assigned to outline the end-of-year ranking, the one valid for the Melbourne entry list. This will guarantee motivation, commitment and entertainment to the Trentino public.
LUCA NARDI TO RELAUNCH
In Casa Italia, the wait is above all on Luca Nardi. The talented Pesaro native had enchanted everyone at the beginning of the year, with the prestigious victory against Novak Djokovic in Indian Wells and the subsequent victory in Naples, then he got lost a bit. He is currently number 102 ATP and aims to find himself. One can perform anywhere with his tennis, even on the Mapei carpet which will be set up at the CT Rovereto. The expert Stefano Travaglia should also be admitted to the draw, who is relaunching himself since he was followed by coach Gipo Arbino, and perhaps Federico Arnaboldi can also have some hope of admission, highly motivated because he too is looking for a place at the Australian Open (in this case for the qualifiers). In February 2023, the Lombard lost against his cousin Andrea who today coaches him in what – potentially – could be a truly beautiful story. But Challenger tournaments are beautiful above all for their unpredictability: the most interesting events can develop even among the least accredited players on the eve. Suffice it to say that last year, precisely in Rovereto, the presence of the Chinese Yunchaokete Bu in the qualifiers went unnoticed, and today he is actually number 74 ATP. An anecdote like any other that suggests paying maximum attention to the preliminary scoreboard too. The phenomenon you don’t expect can also come from there.
