BERGAMO/STARNBERG, October 31, 2025
Two top-100 players, the defending champion Luca Nardi, and three competitors bound for the Next Gen ATP Finals highlight an impressive entry list for the upcoming Internazionali di Bergamo – Trofeo FAIP-Perrel. As the ATP Challenger Tour tournament celebrates its 20th edition, running from November 16 to 23 at the ChorusLife Arena, organizers are once again hoping to crown a player destined for the world’s top 10 – something Bergamo has done four times before.
A Tournament with Future Stars in Focus
More than 50% of the 47 players who have competed in the Next Gen ATP Finals between 2017 and 2024 have gone on to reach at least the Top 20 in the world – a statistic that speaks volumes about the tournament’s reputation as a launchpad for rising talent. Among those competing in Bergamo this year are three players headed to Jeddah (December 17–21) for the Next Gen Finals: Dino Prizmic (Croatia), Alexander Blockx (Belgium), and Justin Engel (Germany).
Engel, in particular, has been one of the standout young players of 2024. Fresh off his first Challenger title at the Hamburg Ladies & Gents Cup, the 18-year-old German has already broken into the Top 200, showcasing the potential that makes him one of Europe’s most exciting prospects. Thanks to ATP rules allowing under-20 players of sufficient ranking to fill up to eight Challenger spots, other young talents will also take part – including Matej Dodig, still hoping to qualify for Jeddah, and Italy’s own Carlo Alberto Caniato, who has climbed nearly 400 ranking spots this season to reach World No. 446.
Top Players Return to Bergamo
The field will also feature two current top-100 players, starting with defending champion Luca Nardi. After winning last year’s edition in Rovereto, the Italian will be the top seed in Bergamo, aiming to become the first player in history to win the tournament twice in a row. Another familiar face, Otto Virtanen, the 2022 champion, will also return to the indoor hard courts that have long suited his aggressive game.
Among the headline names is Emil Ruusuvuori, the Finnish star and former world No. 37, who helped lead Finland to a historic Davis Cup semifinal in 2023. After a challenging year personally, Ruusuvuori is looking to rebuild his confidence and momentum in Bergamo.
Six Italians and… a “Bergamasque” Frenchman
The Italian contingent will be strong, with six players already confirmed for the main draw, not counting future wild cards or qualifiers. Alongside Nardi and Caniato, there will be Francesco Maestrelli (a 2024 finalist) and Stefano Napolitano (2018 finalist), the latter competing with a protected ranking. Francesco Passaro, now working independently after parting ways with his longtime coach Roberto Tarpani, will also be one to watch, as will Andrea Pellegrino, who continues his quest to break into the Top 100.
Adding international flair to the draw is Shintaro Mochizuki, one of the most entertaining young players on tour, who recently cracked the Top 100 for the first time. Another fan favorite will be Luca Van Assche, representing France but with a strong connection to Bergamo. His mother, Patrizia, hails from the city, and Van Assche speaks excellent Italian. For years, he would visit his grandparents in Colognola twice annually and has even admitted to being an Atalanta supporter.
Now a full-time globetrotter on the ATP Tour, Van Assche – currently World No. 63 and the recent Olbia Challenger champion – returns to Bergamo both to compete and reconnect with his family roots.
