BERGAMO/STARNBERG, November 16, 2025
Ten Italian players are set to headline the main draw of the Internazionali di Bergamo – FAIP-Perrel Trophy, an ATP Challenger Tour event which offers a total prize pool of €145,250, marking an exciting start for the tournament’s first edition inside the state-of-the-art ChorusLife Arena. With qualifying still to be completed, the Italian contingent could grow even larger, but the initial draw – conducted Saturday evening by ATP supervisor Riccardo Ragazzini – has already generated considerable anticipation.
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The move from the historic 1960s venue to the brand-new ChorusLife Arena is nothing short of transformative. The expansive spaces and world-class facilities give the event an atmosphere worthy of a tournament on the major circuit. As is often the case before play begins, a few withdrawals reshaped the draw: Adrian Mannarino, originally granted a wild card and poised to be the top seed, withdrew after receiving a shoulder injection, personally calling tournament director Marco Fermi to apologize. Jacopo Vasami also pulled out due to physical issues, with his wild card being reassigned to rising Italian talent Pierluigi Basile.
The main draw will be led by Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki (ATP No. 92), a crowd-pleaser known for his fluid and eye-catching game. Among the seeded Italians are Francesco Passaro (No. 4), Andrea Pellegrino (No. 6) and Francesco Maestrelli (No. 8), last year’s finalist in the edition played temporarily in Rovereto.
Big Matches and Rising Stars
Passaro opens with an all-Italian derby against Marco Cecchinato, whose appearance has drawn curiosity. The former Roland Garros semifinalist returns to Bergamo for the first time since 2014, showing renewed motivation after a solid run of tournaments in South America.
One of the marquee first-round matches pits Otto Virtanen – winner of the 2022 Bergamo title and a specialist on indoor courts – against 2018 finalist Stefano Napolitano, in the draw thanks to a protected ranking. Another intriguing clash features Challenger standouts Mark Lajal and Luka Mikrut, both among the most exciting prospects of 2025.
But the spotlight will burn brightest on two of the sport’s most promising teenagers: Croatia’s Matej Dodig (born 2005) and Germany’s Justin Engel (born 2007). Both are contenders for spots at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah. Engel, who recently captured his first ATP Challenger title at the Hamburg Ladies & Gents Cup in similar conditions, opens against a qualifier, with a possible blockbuster meeting against the Lajal-Mikrut winner.
Qualifying Begins: Bergamo Backs Borrelli
The Italian line-up is completed by veteran Stefano Travaglia, who begins with a fascinating generational duel against Dodig, and wild cards Lorenzo Sciahbasi and Fausto Tabacco. The field spans an impressive age gap of sixteen years, from the experienced Travaglia to the 17-year-old Engel.
Qualifying begins Sunday featuring numerous lesser-known names who may become tomorrow’s breakout stars. Among them is Roland Garros junior champion Niels McDonald, as well as Alexey Vatutin and Federico Arnaboldi, who looks to close a difficult season on a positive note. Home fans will rally behind Bergamo native Leonardo Borrelli, who faces a challenging opener against Spain’s Sergio Hernando Callejon (ATP No. 565).
