MILAN/STARNBERG, June 22, 2022
Japanese teenager Shintaro Mochizuki has reached his first quarterfinal on the ATP Challenger Tour. The 19-year-old lucky loser fought past Italian wild card entry Gianmarco Ferrari 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in Wednesday’s second round at the Aspria Tennis Cup in Milan.
Mochizuki capitalized on five of his 18 break-point chances to secure victory in two hours and 18 minutes.
“I knew I could be competitive against anyone, but I have recently lost a couple of close matches,” the World No. 386 said. “I have always had confidence. I know that I can beat excellent players or at least have the chance to do so. It is not easy, but I am convinced of it.”
Mochizuki won the 2019 Wimbledon Championships Boys’ singles title after becoming the first Japanese male to reach a Grand Slam juniors singles final. In September that year, he led the Japanese team to win the Junior Davis Cup in Orlando, Florida.
In Milan, the Kawasaki native will next take on Alexander Shevchenko from Russia, who clinched his maiden Challenger crown earlier this month at the Bratislava Open. The No. 5 seed of the €45,730 clay-court event edged out Italian qualifier Giovanni Fonio 6-3, 7-6(3) in one hour and 41 minutes.
In other action. top seed Federico Coria cruised past Joris de Loore of Belgium in only 56 minutes to face home favourite and No. 7 seed Luciano Darderi in the stage of the final eight. Darderi benefited from the retirement of Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis, leading 6-3, 4-2.
Wednesday Results
Singles – Second Round
Shintaro Mochizuki (JAP) b. Gianmarco Ferrari (ITA) 6-4 4-6 6-2
Luciano Darderi (ITA) b. Ernests Gulbis (LET) 6-3 4-2 ret.
Alexander Shevchenko (RUS) b. Giovanni Fonio (ITA) 6-3 7-6(3)
Federico Coria (ARG) b. Joris De Loore (BEL) 6-2 6-0
Doubles – First Round
Matuszewski / Paulson (POL-CZE) b. Durasovic / Setkic (NOR-BIH) 6-3 6-1
Arneodo / Eysseric (MON-FRA) b. Martineau / Torres (FRA-ARG) 6-3 6-7(4) 10-6
Hidalgo / Rodriguez (ECU-COL) b. Gigante / Maestrelli (ITA-ITA) 6-4 6-2
Vatutin / Weissborn (RUS-AUT) b. Babic / Fallert (CRO-GER) 6-2 6-2
Arnaboldi / Ferrari (ITA-ITA) b. Brancaccio / Cervantes (ITA-SPA) 6-2 6-3
Darderi / Romboli (ITA-BRA) b. Merino / Nouza (PER-CZE) 6-1 6-4
