San Marino Open, Marco Cecchinato in quarterfinals
Marco Cecchinato enters top eight thanks to victory over Francesco Forti
Marco Cecchinato is the second Italian player to reach the quarterfinals of the Internazionali San Marino Open, an ATP Challenger Tour event (€67,960 prize money) being held on the courts of the Centro Tennis Cassa di Risparmio di Montecchio.
On the day that saw the completion of the second round, the 29-year-old from Palermo (no.142 ATP), fifth seed, had to call on all his experience to win another tricolor derby after his debut match with Mattia Bellucci (no.270), recipient of a wild card. Under the watchful eyes of coach Massimo Sartori, Cecchinato, here winner in 2013 of his first major title of a career that brought him to the 16th world ranking and to reach a historic semifinal at Roland Garros, won on a comeback with the score of 67(3) 76(6) 6-2 over Francesco Forti (No. 453 ATP), who came from the qualifiers, even annulling a match-point at 6-5 in the second set.
It was precisely the 23-year-old from Cesenatico, pushed by many Romagna fans, in the fifth game who first broke the Sicilian’s serve (long volley lob), suffering, however, the immediate counter-break. Balance held until the tie-break, where “Ceck” (little assisted by the serve) sank a forehand into the net finding himself down 4-2, Forti double faulted, but another gift from Cecchinato and a winning backhand on a drop shot badly touched by the opponent led to the set-point for the Romagnolo, who was able to exploit it with a first serve followed by a long backhand response (47 minutes the duration of the partial).
In the second fraction it was again the Palermo player who faced a set-break ball before seizing the 2-2, however, despite attempts to shake himself off he never managed to get ahead in the score, also because Forti held really remarkable service percentages, confirming that he is on the right track to climb up the ladder in the rankings after a couple of serious injuries that have penalized him this season. At 5-5 the player who has been followed as coach by Giorgio Galimberti for the last ten days or so felt some tension, missing a few shots and finding himself 15-40, however, he regained concentration and lucidity to cancel the two break chances and go up 6-5, resulting in a gesture of annoyance from the “Ceck” (racket crashed). On the momentum, the Romagnolo got a match-point, but missed his answer, and Marco a little hard earned the tie-break. “Decisive game” by roller coaster, with Cecchinato to snap 3 to 1, then Forti to go up 5-3, again the Sicilian ahead 6 to 5, with set-ball erased with a winning forehand, but a double fault and a long backhand response by Francesco bring the challenge to the third. Decisive fraction that opens with four break points saved in the first game by the “past champion”, Forti charges the blow and loses his service (0-2), with “Ceck” to stretch to 3-0 and also procure an opportunity for the double break, foiled by the rival who shortens (1-3). The Romagnolo tried to hang on (2-4) by cancelling two more break points, and in the seventh game it was he who missed a chance for the counter-break. With an ace Forti cancels the first match-point, but on the second the Sicilian’s pass is surgical, releasing all his joy after two hours and 38′ of emotions.
Contending for Cecchinato’s entry into the semifinals on Friday will be Valentin Vacherot of Monaco (No. 388 ATP), 24 years old next November, who, after making it through the qualifiers and eliminating Giulio Zeppieri (No. 143 ATP), the third seeded favorite, in a comeback, also passed the fateful “litmus test” by regulating Dutchman Jesper De Jong (No. 213 ATP) 62 63.
