“I WANT TO WIN AT HOME, I’VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF IT”
WAWRINKA, THE ARM IS NOT ENOUGH. BUT WHAT A SHOW
Perugia, 10 June 2025 – In the name of Francesco Passaro, the Tennis Club Perugia dreams big for this edition of the Internazionali di Tennis Città di Perugia | G.I.Ma. Tennis Cup. In front of a sold-out centre court, the home player won the first round derby against Francesco Maestrelli 6-3 6-3 and in the second round he will face Viktor Durasovic. The highlight of the evening was the challenge between three-time Slam champion Stan Wawrinka and former world number 39 Radu Albot. In a contest with a wide tennis content, the Moldovan prevailed 6-4 7-6(3) and on Thursday he will face Pierluigi Basile. At 40 years old, loudly supported by the crowd, he clung to the score until the end. In the second set he earned the tie-break after saving two match points in the tenth game, but Radu Albot was perfect in the final moments: “The match? Stan served well and hit hard. I am very happy with this performance and the Perugia Central Court was fantastic, even if they were rooting for Wawrinka”.
Passaro, the second round on Thursday – The Central Court of the Perugia Tennis Club was already filled to the brim in the late afternoon for Francesco Passaro’s debut. The home player, seventh seed, began his adventure in the tournament with a derby victory against Francesco Maestrelli. It ended 6-3 6-3 for the Perugian, who saved two break points in the second set, avoiding a 2-4. From that moment on he was perfect against a rival who had beaten him in two of the previous three: “He is a great player and I hope he returns to the ranking he deserves. In the important moments I took inspiration from the high-level matches I have faced in recent years and it was useful”. In the second round, Passaro, ranked 141st in the ATP rankings this week, will face Norwegian Viktor Durasovic for a spot in the quarterfinals, which would allow him to equal his best result in the event, that of last season. “My goal is to win this tournament. It’s a dream I’ve had for many years and I want to achieve it. Perugia is special, on the court I always feel a mix of tension and emotion, but at the same time I manage to take the energy of the crowd,” said Passaro, who will return to the court on Thursday, June 12.