MEF Tennis

Profile page

About meftennis

  • Email: info@meftennisevents.com
  • Nice Name: meftennis
  • Website:
  • Registered On :2020-07-20 17:00:29
  • Logged in as: meftennis

meftennis Posts

CARREÑO BUSTA CHOOSES TENERIFE

ENTRY LIST REVEALED: GARÍN AND RUUSUVUORI ARE ALSO IN THE MEETING
5 CANARIANS WILL RECEIVE AN INVITATION TO THE PRELIMINARY PHASE

Tenerife, January 14, 2025 – Davis Cup champion with Spain, Olympic bronze medallist, Grand Slam semi-finalist, Masters 1000 winner and former Top 10: Pablo Carreño Busta will light up the 2025 edition of the Tenerife Challenger. The first of two ATP Challenger events organised by MEF Tennis Events will be held from February 2 to 9 in the splendid setting of the Abama Tennis Academy and promises to be incredible thanks to a list of high-level participants. Further confirmation that the island has established itself as an elite destination.
However, Carreño Busta will not be the only notable name, Emil Ruusuvuori, Cristian Garín and Dominik Koepfer will also participate. For both tournaments, an increase in prize money has been planned, which now amounts to $100,000 for each event. The support of local authorities, especially Tenerife Tourism, together with the collaboration of the Canary Islands Tennis Federation and the Tenerife Island Tennis Federation, has been fundamental for the realization of both tournaments.
For the first time this year, the best players from the Canary Islands will have an invitation to debut on the Challenger circuit. For the first week, the Canary Islands Tennis Federation has chosen Noah López Cherubino, Canary Islands Absolute Champion, and Saúl Pacheco Benasayag, Canary Islands Junior Champion. For the second tournament, the Federation has awarded the invitations to the two players with the best national classification in the absolute category: David Aguiar Johansson and Miguel García González. In addition, in the week of February 9-16, the organization has granted a wildcard to the champion of Tenerife, Samuel García Hernández.

Entry List with 4 former Top 50 players, all ready to return to the top – At 33 years old and with a great desire to return to his best level, the presence of Pablo Carreño Busta in Tenerife is not a simple formality. The tennis player from Gijón, currently competing in the Australian Open, returned last May after undergoing surgery on his elbow. In just a few months he managed to climb back up to number 182, proof that his return to the Top 100 is only a matter of time. Thanks to his protected ranking, Carreño Busta continues to participate in the most prestigious tournaments on the circuit, which makes his choice of Tenerife strategic: the goal is to play, get back into rhythm and win. Davis Cup champion with Spain in 2019 and bronze medallist at the Tokyo Olympics (where he defeated Novak Djokovic in the match for third place), Carreño Busta was also the protagonist of a memorable victory at the Montreal Masters 1000 in 2022, his seventh ATP title.
However, he will not have it easy on the island. Among the participants stands out Cristian Garín, former world number 17 and winner of five ATP titles. After qualifying for the main draw of the Australian Open, the 28-year-old Chilean tennis player starts from position number 150 in the rankings, determined to climb positions.
In addition, Emil Ruusuvuori, out of competition since the end of July, is ready to return. The Finn born in 1999, who reached number 37 in the world in 2023, returns to the Challenger circuit after a 2024 truncated by injuries. Former Top 50 player and tournament number one seed, Dominik Koepfer, currently ranked 124th in the ATP rankings, will also be present in Tenerife. On Spain’s side, in addition to Pablo Carreño Busta, Javier Barranco Cosano and Alejandro Moro Cañas will participate, completing a solid local representation.

“A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” – Noah López Cherubino and Saúl Pacheco Benasayag will open the dances in Tenerife. “I am very excited and eager to make a good impression,” said Cherubino, 18. “I want to take advantage of the opportunity granted by the Canary Islands Tennis Federation, and I think that playing at home will be an added element. I am not afraid, because I would like a very competitive match, whoever my opponent is. I started playing in Lanzarote and now I train at the Fariones Sports Centre with Félix López. My career is starting now and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Saúl Pacheco, Junior Canarian champion and student of the Tenier Tennis Academy in Tenerife, is equally grateful: “For me, playing a Challenger is a dream come true. You spend your whole life sacrificing many things to prepare for such an important event. I hope it will be as fun a match as possible. I will surely face a very tough opponent, but I think the first thing will be to enjoy the moment. This is a very important opportunity for my growth and, with the whole team, we are proud, also because it will be an opportunity to verify my level by comparing it with that of the professionals.”

The fifth Canarian, who will compete in the qualifying phase of Tenerife Challenger 2 thanks to an invitation, is Samuel García Hernández, the island’s absolute champion. “I am very excited to participate in this tournament – ​​said the tennis player who trains at the Santa Cruz Ofra Sports Complex and the Real Club Náutico de Tenerife –. I am sure that it will be an unforgettable experience and I want to thank both the Canary Islands Federation and MEF Tennis Events for the opportunity. I think it is fantastic that the Cabildo de Tenerife promotes these events that are very important on a social and sporting level.”

The jewel of the Canary Islands Tennis Federation – The president of the Canary Islands Tennis Federation, José Sepúlveda, could not be more satisfied: “We are very satisfied and also grateful for the collaboration we are carrying out with MEF Tennis Events and I cannot wait for the start of the tournaments to watch the best players from the Canary Islands challenge each other with the professionals of the Challenger circuit.”

Never before has Canarian tennis competed on the ATP cadet circuit like this year: “These invitations represent a great opportunity for these athletes to compete in an international environment and continue developing their sporting careers. The Canary Islands have a good tradition in tennis and our goal is to help it continue to be that way.”

 Like

TENERIFE, THE ATP CHALLENGER TOURNAMENTS IN 2025

INCREASED PRIZE MONEY AND TWO WEEKS OF GREAT TENNIS
WILD CARDS FOR THE BEST TALENTS FROM THE CANARY ISLANDS

Tenerife, January 2, 2025 – Great tennis returns to the Canary Islands, ready to become the heart of the ATP Challenger circuit for two weeks. From February 2 to 16, the hard courts of the Abama Tennis Academy will be the stage for two ATP Challenger 75 tournaments. MEF Tennis Events enthusiastically confirms its tournaments in Tenerife, a charming place that in recent seasons has made many new promises of the world circuit known. Appreciated by athletes for its climate, its locations, its organization and its infrastructure, Tenerife is once again positioned at the world epicentre of this category, with professionals competing for these trophies and displaying their best tennis. Something that will undoubtedly encourage fans to visit the destination during the winter calendar.
In addition, an increase in prize money is planned for 2025, with $100.000,00 at stake for each event, which will add greater prestige to the two competitions. An agreement has also been sealed between MEF Tennis Events and the Canary Islands Tennis Federation, which will include two wild cards for the best tennis players from the islands to participate. In addition, all members of the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation and players from clubs in the archipelago will be able to enjoy a 50% discount on tickets and weekly passes. For the occasion, there will be Kids Days dedicated to the youngest.

The enthusiasm of the Canary Islands Tennis Federation – After 12 ATP Challenger tournaments and 1 WTA 250, awarded in 2021 as the best world tournament in its category, the close alliance between MEF Tennis Events and the Canary Islands continues. This success is a delight for the Canary Islands Tennis Federation, as highlighted by its president, José Sepúlveda: “The initiative carried out by Marcello Marchesini not only benefits the protagonists on the court, but also the many fans who attend the tournaments. I also think of the great players who have passed through here, such as Brandon Nakashima, who after winning the tournament returned to the world Top 50.” With great satisfaction and pride, Sepúlveda also underlined the importance of the agreement for wild cards: “In the 2025 tournaments, some young people will have the opportunity to experience and participate in what a Challenger circuit is like. This experience will be granted to young people who have already proven their worth at a national and international level; for them it will be a privilege.” Regarding the state of health of the Federation, Sepúlveda explains: “The data indicate that we are on the right track. Canary Islands tennis has an excellent tradition with figures such as David Marrero and Carla Suárez Navarro. I think that all the conditions exist for new players to reach the highest levels of the ATP and WTA circuits.” The tournaments will once again be held at the Abama Tennis Academy in Guía de Isora, a destination that, in addition to its top-level tennis courts, is renowned for its Las Terrazas de Abama Suites and Los Jardines de Abama Suites hotels, its top-notch gastronomy, a shopping centre that offers a wide range of restaurants, wellness and leisure facilities, its outdoor Kids Camp and the prestigious golf course designed by Dave Thomas, a sport that is becoming increasingly popular among ATP circuit players.

MEF Tennis Events back in Tenerife – “At the end of 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, we decided to go for a project that might have seemed crazy: bringing great tennis to the Canary Islands! Five years later, we can proudly say that never has an ambition turned out to be so successful.” Marcello Marchesini, President of MEF Tennis Events, fondly recalls the beginning of the tournaments that took place between Gran Canaria and Tenerife: “In these 5 years we have organised, thanks above all to the local authorities and in particular to Turismo de Tenerife and the Government of the Canary Islands, 12 ATP Challenger tournaments and a WTA 250, winner of the award for the best tournament in the world in its category. Our main objectives now are twofold: first, to help the RFET, and in particular the FCT, to quickly develop new local talents who, thanks to our invitations, will be able to take their first steps in professional tennis. Second, to promote the incredible beauties of the island of Tenerife also in all the tournaments that we will organise in Italy in 2025.”

 Like

KIDS DAY: TENNIS AND INCLUSION

AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE FOR TENNIS SCHOOLS

The Tenerife Challenger opens its doors to tennis schools in the Canary Islands – The dream of many boys and girls who practice sports is to meet those who have made that dream come true. Young tennis fans from the Canary Islands will have the opportunity to experience a day in close contact with the professional tennis players participating in the ATP Challenger Tour tournaments that will take place in Guía de Isora, Tenerife. The organization of the tournament, together with the Tenerife Tennis Federation and the Canarian Tennis Federation, will involve the tennis schools of the Canary Islands with the KIDS DAY!

The novelty of Tenerife Challenger 2 and 3 is the presence of IODA Tenerife, an association that promotes values such as Inclusion, Leisure and Adaptive Sports. Children will have the opportunity to test their wheelchair tennis skills playing with IODA athletes.

Instructors and representatives of tennis clubs will be able to register their tennis school for one or more days, choosing between February 18 February 19 and February 26. Registration is done by filling out the attached form. A contact person will then contact the group leader to finalize the details of the visit to the Tenerife Challenger.

The KIDS DAY program varies by day and includes:
– PRACTICE SESSION WITH PLAYERS FROM TENERIFE CHALLENGER AND WHEELCHAIR TENNIS: The tennis schools that join will be able to dribble with the champions of the ATP Challenger tournament (30 minutes)
– PHOTO WITH THE PRO PLAYER: During and at the end of training, the boys will take photos with the players. Photos will be sent via link to the reference teacher.
– AUTOGRAPH SESSION: Each boy/girl will be given a ball autographed by one of the tournament players.
– FREE ENTRY: Each participating child will be given a free pass for the entire day. Each participant can bring two companions who will be allowed free access throughout the day.

**** HOW TO REGISTER: To register for the initiative, simply complete the attached form, or send an email to ticket@meftennisevents.com indicating the day of interest, preferred time slot, number of children/teenagers (minimum 8 people) . The contact person will be contacted to confirm the schedule. Registration until February 12 for Tenerife Challenger 2 and 3.

 

Click here to fill out the form!

 Like

TENERIFE CHALLENGER 2, THE ENTRY LIST REVEALED

TENERIFE CHALLENGER 2, THE ENTRY LIST REVEALED

FROM GIGANTE TO PASSARO, MANY ITALIANS ON THE ISLAND

THERE IS ALSO DE JONG, SINNER’S OPPONENT IN AUSTRALIA

 

Tenerife, 30 January 2024 – The names that will be part of the Tenerife Challenger 2 have been made official. Having archived the first appointment in January, MEF Tennis Events is ready to double with the two ATP Challenger 75 tournaments which will take place on the Canary island between 18 February and March 3. The Hungarian Zsombor Piros, number 129 ATP, leads the entry list where five Italian tennis players appear. Among these Matteo Gigante, champion in 2023 of one of the events staged at the Abama Tennis Academy, as well as fresh winner of the Nonthaburi 3 Challenger (Thailand). Also present at the starting line is the former ATP number 40 Ilya Ivashka, as well as the promising Daniel Rincón (athlete of the Rafa Nadal Academy) and the Dutchman Jesper De Jong, recently Jannik Sinner’s opponent at the Australian Open. Tenerife Tourism and the Canary Islands therefore continue to focus on sport, and in particular tennis, to help promote an island with an optimal climate, which makes hospitality one of its strong points.

Gigante and Travaglia dream of an encore – One year after challenging each other in the final act of Tenerife Challenger 3, Matteo Gigante and Stefano Travaglia will return to the island as protagonists. The Roman born in 2002 has already left his mark on the hard courts of the Abama Tennis Academy and, thanks to his ATP ranking of number 155, he will be seeded. Despite the defeat in the final, the memories of the Canaries are probably even sweeter for Stefano Travaglia. The tennis player at the Enjoy Sporting Club of Rome, former ATP number 60, got his career back in motion with the result in Tenerife and since then he has climbed more than 200 positions in the world rankings which currently sees him at number 201. The tricolor troop is completed with Franco Agamemenone, Alessandro Giannessi and Francesco Passaro. The spotlight will be on the latter, who a year ago found himself one step away from the Top 100 before suffering from a series of physical problems that prevented him from experiencing the past season to the fullest of his possibilities. Tenerife could be the right springboard to get back on top.

De Jong, from Sinner to Tenerife – Among the players ready to battle in the Tenerife Challenger 2, the name of Jesper de Jong stands out. The Dutchman born in 2000 should lead the lower part of the draw as the number two seed, trying to give continuity to the excellent period that saw him play three Challenger finals in 2023 (the last one won against Benjamin Hassan in Grodzisk Mazowiecki), as well as reaching the main draw of the 2024 Australian Open starting from the qualifiers. In Melbourne, the current ATP number 139 defeated Pedro Cachin (world no. 74) in the first round before crashing into the wall erected by Jannik Sinner, capable of defeating him 6-2 6-2 6-2 on his way towards the first Slam of his career. The first seed will be Zsombor Piros, already winner of four titles in the cadet circuit. The twenty-four-year-old Hungarian, protagonist in the Davis Cup with his national team, will try a new assault on the Top 100 after failing to achieve his goal at the end of last season. Major circuit mission also for the former world number 40 Ilya Ivashka, who at 29 years old may have all it takes to return to the top. The Belarusian boasts Winston Salem’s ATP 250 title in his palmares, as well as highly prestigious scalps such as those of Alexander Zverev, Stanislas Wawrinka, Hubert Hurkacz and Lorenzo Musetti. There will be no shortage of home players, already three waiting for possible wild cards. Pablo Llamas Ruiz, seeded number four, will try to improve on the quarter-finals reached in the first of the three Challengers organized by MEF Tennis Events in the Canary Islands. Behind him also present Daniel Rincon, athlete of the Rafa Nadal Academy and winner of the 2021 US Open Junior, as well as the current ATP n.221 Alejandro Moro Canas.

 Like

TENERIFE CHALLENGER 1, WILD CARD TO FABIO FOGNINI

TENERIFE CHALLENGER 1, WILD CARD TO FABIO FOGNINI
MARCHESINI: “FABIO JOINS OTHER GREAT CHAMPIONS”
THERE IS ALSO LANDALUCE, THE FUTURE OF SPANISH TENNIS

Tenerife, 12 January 2024 – Tenerife Challenger 1 is enriched with another prestigious name at the starting line. Fabio Fognini will land on the Canary Island to play the first of three tournaments organized by MEF Tennis Events on the hard courts of the Abama Tennis Academy, by virtue of a wild card for the main draw granted by the organization. The Taggiasco becomes part of a rich entry list that already included his compatriots Flavio Cobolli and Raul Brancaccio, as well as the promising Abdullah Shelbayh and the champions of the last two editions of the Next Gen ATP Finals Brandon Nakashima and Hamad Medjedovic. Martin Landaluce will also be there in the ATP Challenger 100 which will take place from 14 to 21 January. The Spanish Tennis Federation granted the former under-18 world number one one of the two wild cards at its disposal, the other invitation went to Alejandro Moro Canas.

Fognini joins Cobolli and Brancaccio – For Fabio Fognini, one of the most illustrious names on the Italian tennis scene, the results obtained during his career speak for themselves. Best ranking of number 9 ATP, champion of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 in 2019 and one of the players with the most appearances in the Italian Davis Cup national team. Despite a year decimated by physical problems, the thirty-six year old from Arma di Taggia has not lost his will to fight. In a 2023 of ups and downs he stood out with the third rounds of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and Roland Garros, while at the end of the season he closed on a high note with the semi-final in the ATP 250 in Metz and the victory in the Challenger in Valencia in end of November. Currently at position number 105 ATP, the Ligurian is chasing a return to the Top 100 which has been missing since April last year, and in Tenerife he will join Flavio Cobolli and Raul Brancaccio representing the Italian troop on the island. “For us it is a joy to return to host so many great champions – said the President of MEF Tennis Events, Marcello Marchesini –, to whom Fabio has now been added. We will find ourselves in a splendid place like the Abama Tennis Academy, which in 2021 allowed us to win the award as the best WTA 250 tournament of the season. All this would not be possible without the help of the Government of the Canary Islands and the support of Tenerife Tourism, who have renewed their trust in us also for 2024″.

Wild card in the main draw also for the talented Landaluce – Martin Landaluce has been added to the large group of interesting young people ready to battle it out in Tenerife. The Spaniard, former world number one under 18 and champion of the US Open Junior 2022, will take to the court in Tenerife thanks to a wild card granted to him by the Spanish Tennis Federation. During 2023, Landaluce had the opportunity to play in the first round of the ATP Masters 1000 in Madrid by virtue of a wild card, which was joined shortly afterwards by the first round of the ATP 250 in Umag. The alternation between these tokens in the major circuit and the first victories in the Challenger circuit, culminating with the quarter-finals in Alicante and Valencia, allowed him to become the first tennis player born in 2006 to enter the Top 500 (now n.443) . “I have to say a big thank you to the Spanish Federation and its president Miguel Diaz Roman – added Marcello Marchesini -. The intense collaboration we are having contributes to the spectacle we will see on the pitch, and with their important help we are increasing the number of Challenger tournaments in Spain, which is now like a second home for us.” The Iberian presence in Tenerife is enriched with further names to keep an eye on. The Spanish Federtennis also granted a wild card for the main draw to Alejandro Moro Canas (current number 230 ATP), while the two invitations for the qualifiers went to Pol Martin Tiffon and Daniel Merida Aguilar (number 235 and 439 ATP respectively). Also fighting for access to the main draw will be Tomas Quesada (an athlete originally from Gran Canaria) and Kenay Ortiz (tennis player from the Tenerife Tennis Academy), both of whom will be awarded a wild card by the organisation.

Tickets and season tickets to enjoy great tennis in Tenerife are available on the website www.tenerifetennis.com

For any information you can write to ticket@meftennisevents.com

 Like

HALYS AND COBOLLI LEAD THE TENERIFE CHALLENGER 1 ENTRY LIST

Photo Daniele Combi

GREAT TENNIS RETURNS TO THE CANARY ISLANDS
HALYS AND COBOLLI LEAD THE FIRST ENTRY LIST
TWO CHAMPIONS OF THE NEXT GEN FINALS AT THE START

Tenerife, 26 December 2023 – The Tenerife Challenger 1 entry list is official. After the success of last season, the ATP Challenger circuit returns to the hard courts of the Abama Tennis Academy with the three tournaments organized by MEF Tennis Events. The first ATP Challenger 100, scheduled from 14 to 21 January 2024, will be followed by two ATP Challenger 75s (from 18 to 25 February and from 26 February to 3 March 2024). The Frenchman Quentin Halys, former number 61 in the world rankings, leads the seeding in which the Italians Flavio Cobolli and Raul Brancaccio are present. Spain will be the protagonist with three hosts: Pedro Martinez, Pablo Llamas Ruiz and Daniel Rincon. There is a lot of curiosity about the Jordanian talent of the Rafa Nadal Academy Abdullah Shelbayh, as well as the winners of the 2022 and 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals, Brandon Nakashima and Hamad Medjedovic respectively. The return of professionals to Tenerife coincides with the restyling of the Abama Tennis Academy; the Abama Resort has in fact completed the construction of a new covered area near the central court and a restaurant dedicated to the players (Restaurante Tágara) just before the entrance to the courts. An important investment to increasingly welcome athletes, tourists and enthusiasts.

Cobolli among the favorites on the island, for Brancaccio it’s like home – Exactly one year after his participation in the Tenerife Challenger, Flavio Cobolli returns to the Canary island with a different awareness. The Roman tennis player, current ATP number 101, comes from an important season which saw him enter the top 100, reaching the best ranking of 95 in the world, but also playing two Challenger finals (winning the second trophy of the circuit in Lisbon cadet). Between April and June 2023 he first reached the quarter-finals of the ATP 250 in Munich, then the main draw of the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome and Roland Garros. Precisely in France he faced the former world number one Carlos Alcaraz, coming out defeated inside the prestigious Philippe Chatrier. For Raul Brancaccio it will almost be a home tournament. The tennis player from Torre del Greco has an important connection with Spain (he lives in Valencia and trains at the GTennis Academy) and will try to exploit the public’s sympathy to repeat the Tenerife Challenger 2 final reached in 2023. There is great curiosity for the performances of Abdullah Shelbayh, Brandon Nakashima and Hamad Medjedovic. The Jordanian was the protagonist of an excellent 2023 which saw him participate in the Next Gen ATP Finals and win a Challenger tournament in Charleston, gaining over 250 positions in the rankings. Current number 195 in the world, the point in common between Shelbayh and Spain is the Rafa Nadal Academy, a fixed base for his training. The last two winners of the Next Gen ATP Finals will also take to the court on the hard courts of the Abama Tennis Academy: the American Nakashima, champion of 2022, currently number 134 in the world, and the Serbian born in 2003, Medjedovic, protagonist of a 2023 studded with three Challenger titles and the triumph in the event dedicated to the best under 21s in the world.

Marchesini inaugurates 2024: “A joy to start again in Tenerife” – The President of MEF Tennis Events, Marcello Marchesini, can’t wait to start a new season: “For us it is always a joy to accompany the start of a new season with three tournaments in Tenerife, just like what happened last season. The events consolidate our relationship with the island and are an opportunity to see champions and promising young players up close.” The bond between MEF Tennis Events and the Abama Tennis Academy is increasingly strong. The constant organization of important events has favored further improvements for the areas adjacent to the fields of a club that is even better equipped this year: “We are very happy with the collaboration with Abama, which for 2024 has increased the services within its club. This year there will be a covered restaurant dedicated to the players (Restaurante Tágara), as well as a new covered area behind the center court. The environment will also be more comfortable for the many fans and tourists who will come to experience these three weeks of great tennis.”

 Like

THE 2024 SPANISH CHALLENGER CALENDAR WILL START IN TENERIFE

THE 2024 SPANISH CHALLENGER CALENDAR WILL START IN TENERIFE

Abama Tennis Academyin the south of the island of Tenerifewill host three circuit tournaments during the first quarter of 2024 ATP Challenger, organized by MEF Tennis Events. On this occasion the calendar will be made up of a Challenger 100 and two tournaments Challenger 75.

Of the January 14 to 21 The ATP Challenger 100 will be held. The two ATP Challenger 75 will be held consecutively between the February 18 and 25the first and among the February 26 and March 3, the second. The event will host around 220 professional tennis players, both recognized stars and some of the best promises in the world.

MEF Tennis Events, a company specialized in organizing ATP, WTA and ITF tournaments in Italy, reinforces its commitment to Tenerife as European headquarters. The facilities have seven fast lanes Flexipave surface on which the games are played Australian and United States Open. In addition, the center court has a capacity of 600 spectators.

In 2024, the ATP Challenger Tour circuit has 147 tournaments Worldwide.

In the first and second edition of these tournaments, in 2022 and 2023, great world-known tennis players participated, such as Fernando VerdascoFeliciano LopezTallon Griekspoor (current 24 ATP and tournament winner in 2021), Matteo Arnaldi (winner in 2023 and current 41 ATP) and players like Joao SousaElias Ymer or Benoit Paire.

 Like
Matteo Gigante - Foto Johanna Wallmeier (MEF Tennis Events)

Italian Gigante shows he’s a “Tennis Giant” in Tenerife

By Florian Heer

Los Gigantes is a resort town in the Santiago del Teide municipality on the west coast of the Canary Island Tenerife. Its main feature are the giant rock formations and cliffs that rise from the sea to a height of 800 metres after which the town has been named. Los Gigantes means “The Giants”.

About 10 kilometres further south, a “Tennis Giant” – Matteo Gigante of Italy – captured his first title on the ATP Challenger Tour. Gigante powered past fellow Italian and wild card entry Stefan Travaglia, 6-3, 6-2, in the singles final of the Tenerife Challenger 3.

On a mostly sunny Sunday at the Abama Tennis Academy in Guía de Isora, the 21-year-old was the dominant player right from the beginning of the match. The first set saw service losses on both sides, but Gigante gained the decisive break in the 8th game to close the set out. The World No. 232 from Rome took the momentum into the second set broke Travaglia’s serve in the first game and from then on didn’t look back anymore. Gigante won 59 per cent of the total points played to seal victory in one hour and 10 minutes.

Exciting week in Tenerife

“I am so happy and proud of myself, my team and my family. I played very good tennis this week at this amazing place,” Gigante said.

The #NextGenATP Italian, who fell in the final round of the qualifying to his compatriot Giovanni Fonio at the start of the €73,000 hard-court event, entered the main draw with a wild card and beat Spanish wild card Daniel Rincon, top seed Francesco Passaro of Italy, wild card entry Pablo Llamas Ruiz of Spain and his fellow countryman Riccardo Bonadio en-route to the championship match.

“It was a complicated final. Stefano and I are good friends and we played last week here. We practice together in Rome. It was a mental challenge, but I won, and I am happy,” the leftie said.

Gigante, who celebrated his maiden triumph on the Pro Circuit at the ITF World Tennis Tour M15 event in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt last year, has claimed the biggest title of his career. He earned €9,880 in prize money as well as 75 ATP Ranking points.

“I will continue with my work and try to play good tennis and a couple more tournaments.”

 Like
Matteo Gigante - Foto Johanna Wallmeier (MEF Tennis Events)

Gigante pulls double duty to reach Tenerife Challenger 3 final

by Florian Heer

For the second consecutive time, two Italians will meet in a singles final of the Tenerife Challenger series. After the success of Matteo Arnaldi over his compatriot Raul Brancaccio last weekend, this Sunday Stefano Travaglia and Matteo Gigante will play for the title of the Tenerife Challenger 3.

Travaglia battled past fifth-seeded Briton Ryan Peniston 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-2 on a sunny Saturday in Guía de Isora. The 31-year-old wild card entry sent down four aces and won two points more than his rival to secure victory in two hours and 24 minutes.

“It was a tough match right from the beginning and in the first set I immediately spent a lot of physical and mental energy,” said 409th-ranked Travaglia. “In the second set my opponent changed the pace, but in the third I found my best tennis.”

Gigante wins two matches, advances to maiden Challenger final

Gigante pulled double duty to reach his maiden final on the ATP Challenger Tour. The 21-year-old lucky loser backed up a win earlier in the day against Spaniard Pablo Llamas Ruiz (6-2, 6-4) with a hard-fought 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-3 victory over fellow Italian Riccardo Bonadio.

The World No. 232 struck seven aces, won 77 per cent of his first-service points and broke his opponent four times to prevail after two hours and 36 minutes.

“In the first match I played well, then I recharged my batteries for the match with “Bonny”, which was a real battle,” said Gigante.

Gigante, who celebrated his maiden triumph on the Pro Circuit at the ITF World Tennis Tour M15 event in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt last year, is bidding for the biggest title of his career. Travaglia could lift his sixth ATP Challenger career trophy, his first since the 2021 Sibiu Open in Romania. Both players met for the first-time last week in the second round of the Tenerife Challenger 2. Gigante won in straight sets.

The two have a very good relationship and have recently been training together at the Enjoy Sporting Club. “We often play in Rome. Last week’s match counts for nothing. Stefano is playing very well, and it will be a great final,” said Gigante.

Harris/Harrison triumph in doubles

Later in the evening and under the lights on Centre Court at the Abama Tennis Academy, Andrew Harris from Australia and US-American Christian Harrison captured the doubles title. The No. 4 seeds edged past third favourites Luke Johnson from Great Britain and Sem Verbeek of the Netherlands 7-6(6), 6-7(4), 10-8 in two hours and two minutes.

By winning their second team title after Little Rock, United States last year, Harris and Harrison split €9,880 in prize money and pocketed 75 ATP Doubles Ranking points.

President of the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation visits Tenerife Challenger

Off the courts, the Tenerife Challenger earned a visit from Miguel Díaz Román, president of the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET), who attends the final weekend of the tournament series on the biggest of the Canary Islands.

“Not too many years ago we only had two Challenger tournaments in Spain,” Díaz Román said. “Thanks to companies like MEF Tennis Events, which are specialized in the organisation of international tennis tournaments, we had the opportunity to increase this number. We can only thank Marcello Marchesini for this. The three Tenerife Challengers are important for our development and Spanish players have the opportunity to compete in tournaments at home, so they can earn ranking points without leaving the country.”

Reigning US Open junior champion Martín Landaluce is one of the young Spaniards, who played at this year’s Tenerife Challenger series. “I don’t want to compare him to Carlos Alcaraz, but Martín Landaluce has all the ingredients to become a champion,” the RFET president commented on the prospects of the 17-year-old from Madrid.

A total of 15 Challenger events are scheduled to be held in Spain this season.

“It is very important for us to organise tournaments in Spain. To start with three Challengers, being held in a wonderful place like the Abama Tennis Academy is special,” said Díaz Román, who considers the organisation of professional events to be fundamental in his vision. The next step in this direction could be the organisation of an ATP Challenger 175, a category that has been added to the calendar for the first time this year.

“I like this novelty and I have also discussed it with Marcello Marchesini. I think it is a feasible objective for the future.”

 Like

Italians Travaglia and Bonadio reach semi-finals at Tenerife Challenger 3

by Florian Heer

For the third time in the past four weeks, the stars of the ATP Challenger Tour have gathered at the stunning venue of the Abama Tennis Academy in Guía de Isora, where spectators can enjoy panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean while soaking in world-class tennis, to determine the champion of the Tenerife Challenger. Following the triumph of Italian Matteo Arnaldi last Sunday, two of his fellow countrymen have found their way into the semi-finals of this week’s €73,000 hard-court event.

In the bottom half of the draw, Stefano Travaglia defeated his compatriot Alessandro Giannessi 6-3, 6-4 on Friday. The 31-year-old from the Marche region of Italy capitalized on four of his eight break-point chances to seal victory in one hour and 27 minutes.

“I’m happy to be in the semi-finals,” said 409th-ranked Travaglia, who entered the main draw of the Tenerife Challenger 3 with a wild card. “Alessandro and I have known each other for a long time. Today there was a lot of wind, but I was well prepared and played a good match. I’m finding consistency after not being able to play so many matches at the end of 2022.”

Supported by his wife Maria Paola and his new coach Giuseppe Fischetti, who is based at the Enjoy Sporting Club in Rome, former World No. 60 Travaglia wants to get back to his best.

“The ranking will come as a result. I am happy that my wife will be able to travel with me a few more weeks this year. With Peppe Fischetti we are having a good time and I will travel with him as well. At the Enjoy Sporting Club we worked hard during the pre-season and now we are starting to see the results.”

Peniston beats Fonio 

Travaglia will next face No. 5 seed Ryan Peniston, who beat Italian qualifier Giovanni Fonio 7-5, 6-4 on Court 3. The 27-year-old Briton won 58 per cent of the total points played to advance in one hour and 37 minutes.

“I am happy to be in the semi-finals here. It was a super close match, which could have gone either way. The conditions were tough, and Giovanni is a great player,” said Peniston. 

“I did my pre-season in Australia because my coach is from Adelaide. It was awesome, as I was staying with his family, and I could also enjoy some really good preparation. This helped me at the start of the season,” added the World No. 159, who also reached the stage of the final four at the ATP Challenger event in Noumea, New Caledonia in January, his first tournament of 2023. Another good result in Tenerife should help him to get closer to reach his goal of the new season. “I want to make the Top 100 this year, playing some ATP events,” Peniston said.

Bonadio through to the final four

In the top half of the draw, Riccardo Bonadio knocked out fellow Italian and No. 8 seed Francesco Maestrelli 7-5, 6-2. The 29-year-old from Pordenone withstood four aces and broke Maestrelli’s serve five times to prevail after one hour and 56 minutes.

“Today’s conditions were slower compared to the other days, probably because of the rain last night,” said Bonadio. “It was very windy, so it was tough to be aggressive on court today. But I am happy, as I played well and made it into the semi-finals here in Tenerife. Together with my coach we work hard on my game on hard courts, and it pays off.” 

Bonadio will next take on either Matteo Gigante of Italy or Spanish wild card entry Pablo Llamas Ruiz. Their quarterfinal match was suspended at 1-1 in the first set due to rain and postponed to Saturday, 10:30 am.

 

 Like