Qualifyers perform extremely well in Umag

Posted by TennisPhotoWorld on 29 Jul 2022

Cecchinato, a player with great potential
It is striking how well the qualifiers in Umag perform this year, all four of them won the first-round match. Except for the Frenchman Corentin Moutet, the qualifiers all come from Italy. We previously reported that Cecchinato won from the Croatian junior Wimbledon champion Mili Poljicak. Showing some impressive fighting spirit. In the second round, he also proved too strong for his compatriot Lorenzo Musetti (6-4, 6-3) and he reached the quarter-finals in which he faced another compatriot and qualifier Franco Agamenone. Unfortunately for Cecchinato, during this match, his fighting spirit and tennis level dropped drastically. He even hit two tennis balls in a row out of the stadium in frustration.

Agamenone, the week of his tennis life
On the other side of the net Agamenone is having the week of his tennis life here in Umag. He beats Checcinato with an impressive 6-2, 6-1. This currently ATP ranked number 136 is a very nice and humble guy, our Italian colleagues tell us. He is also very professional and stable on the court. Tactically he makes the right choices and plays to his strengths. Playing steady baseline rallies varied with some drop-shots every now and then. And above all his mental resilience is impressive. He never shows negative reactions after losing a point, sticks to his routines, and keeps going. Does that mean that Agamenone does not feel the passion and emotions on the court? Absolutely not! After being down 7-6, 2-6, and 3-5 he kept on going and going against the fourth seated Argentinian Baez. He turned the match around and claims victory after an intense and long rally with 7-5 in the third set. Lying down on the clay with a big smile on his face! And now he is even through to his first ATP semi-finals!

On any day you can win or lose from every player on the tour
Another Italian who just keeps winning is Giulio Zeppieri. After winning two matches in the qualifiers, he also won his first-round match against Argentinian Pedro Cachin (3-6; 6-1; 6-4) and then sidelined Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan (6-4; 3 -6; 6-1), who previously beat Fognini. Zeppieri is now also in the quarterfinals where he can compete against Bernabe Zapata Miralles, who surprisingly managed to beat the Danish talent Holger Rune. Last year he lost 6-0, 6-0 to the Dane. This week the Spaniard won by 3-6, 6-3 en 6-2. Showing again that a player on the tour can win or lose from every other player on a particular day.

Frenchman Corentin Moutet also reached the second round. He defeated 6th-seeded German Daniel Altmaier 6-4 and 6-2. However, he lost in the second round against the Argentinian Facundo Bagnis (3-6; 1-6), who previously won his match against his compatriot Tomas Martin Etcheverry (7-5 6-3).

Fifth-seeded Alex Molcan from Slovakia won his first-round match against Croatian Duje Ajdukovic (6-2; 7-6(2)). But then lost to Robert Carballes Baena (6-3; 2-6; 3-6). ). The Spaniard Carballes Baena now faces Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals.