SASSUOLO/STARNBERG, June 13, 2025
The Emilia-Romagna Tennis Cup, organized by Master Group Sport in collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna Region, was officially presented on Friday morning in the stunning setting of the Sporting Club Sassuolo. The launch event featured several notable speakers, including Giammaria Manghi (Coordinator of Sports Policies for the Emilia-Romagna Region), Serena Lenzotti (Deputy Mayor of Sassuolo), Antonio Santa Maria (General Director of Master Group Sport), Claudio Pirazzoli (Vice President of Sporting Club Sassuolo), and Tournament Director Alessandro Motti.
While fans eagerly await Saturday’s draw ceremony, excitement is already building thanks to the announcement that tennis legend Stan Wawrinka will compete in the tournament. The 40-year-old Swiss star, a three-time Grand Slam champion (Australian Open, Roland Garros, US Open), has received a wild card from the organizers. Known as “Stan the Man,” Wawrinka remains an active and passionate competitor on tour, undeterred by age and still relishing the thrill of competition. As one of the few players who managed to challenge the dominance of the “Big Three” (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic) in the 2010s, Wawrinka will aim to add his name to the list of past champions in Sassuolo—joining Borna Coric, Alexandre Muller, and Jesper De Jong.
Joining Wawrinka in this year’s field are several of Italy’s most promising young talents. Francesco Passaro, the 24-year-old from Perugia, returns to action after a hard-fought loss at Roland Garros—ironically against De Jong, last year’s champion in Sassuolo. He’ll be joined by Federico Arnaboldi, the 2000-born player from Como and former Under-16 winner at the prestigious Avvenire youth tournament, and Giulio Zeppieri, 23, who qualified for Roland Garros for the fourth consecutive year in 2025 before falling to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Fans will also want to keep an eye on rising Lithuanian Vilius Gaubas, just 20 years old, who has already claimed two ATP Challenger titles and reached the third round at the recent Internazionali d’Italia, where he stunned Denis Shapovalov before falling to Alexander Zverev. Also in the spotlight is Japan’s Taro Daniel, a former World No. 54 who trained in Spain and boasts victories over Novak Djokovic (Indian Wells 2018) and Andy Murray (Australian Open 2022).
Serbian veteran Dusan Lajovic needs little introduction. The two-time ATP titleholder was a key figure in Serbia’s Davis Cup team, reaching the final in 2013, and is known as one of the most consistent clay-court players of the past decade.
Another name to watch is Rei Sakamoto, the 18-year-old Japanese prodigy who won the Australian Open junior title in 2024 and is quickly climbing the professional ranks.
Once again, the Emilia-Romagna Tennis Cup stands out as one of Italy’s most prestigious international Challenger events. Backed by the Emilia-Romagna Region, the tournament is part of a broader initiative to enhance the area’s cultural appeal, promote tourism, and showcase the region through high-level sporting events.
Tickets can be purchased at all Vivaticket outlets and online here.
