ITF Bolzano: favorite or outsider?

It's getting hot in Bolzano. The quarter-finals of the ITF tournament in the state capital, worth 25.000 euros, took place on Thursday. The favorites haven't run out of steam so far, but an outsider is pushing for the sensation.

August 03, 2023

From: do

Two Argentines, a Frenchman and an Azzurro remain unbeaten in the individual tournament in Bolzano. The surprise was still one of the two South Americans: Gian Matias di Natale. The 25-year-old played his way into the top four as an unseeded player. This Thursday he left the Italian Giorgio Ricca 6:4 and 7:5 in the quarterfinals.

Now things are getting serious for di Natale. In the semi-finals he will face the number 1 of the tournament: Mathys Erhard. The Frenchman won his quarterfinal 6:3 and 7:6(5) against Nikolaj Vylegzhanin from Russia. Incidentally, the 21-year-old lost his only set in the entire tournament in the first round against South Tyrolean Nicola Rispoli.

One Azzurro remains
The second semi-final match is Giovanni Oradini (from Rovereto) against Alex Barrena (Argentina). Oradini (number 3) is the only Italian who carries the hope of the home fans on his shoulders, but he has to bring his best tennis against the confident Argentine, who is seeded number 2 in the tournament and has also only lost one set so far.

Both games take place on Saturday at 10.00 a.m.