Iacovino/Bruno dream in their Rome: one step away from the main draw

To enter the main draw of the BNL Italy Major, another win will be needed, but the tournament for the Italian duo composed of Michele Bruno and Simone Iacovino (wild card) could not have started better. On Saturday at the Foro Italico, the two Italians reached the decisive round of the qualifiers at the expense of the Spanish brothers Cayetano and Manuel Rocafort, who were defeated 6-2 6-4 in a match that was never in doubt. A great performance that bodes well for Sunday’s match against Anton Sans and David Gala Sanchez, the No. 5 qualifying pair, who won 7-5 6-3 against Perez Cabeza/Jerez Carnero.

Out in the first round, however, was the other Italian pair composed of former tennis player Giacomo Miccini and Cristian Calneggia, promoted from the pre-qualifications. The match against Belgian Geens and Spaniard Mercadal was expected to be complicated, and the field confirmed it, with the rivals leading 6-2 2-0 when the Italians retired due to injury. Daniele Cattaneo was also eliminated, who, paired with Spaniard Gonzalo Perez Arbona, lost 6-4 6-3 to Arnaldos/Mouliaa.

Also eliminated in the first round of the qualifiers were the two Italian-Argentines Emiliano Iriart and Nicolas Suescun. The former, competing with Spaniard Marcos Cordoba, lost 7-5 6-3 to the duo Leygue/Valenzuela. The latter, at the Foro Italico alongside Adrian Rodriguez Manzaneque, fought for over two hours against Spaniard Pedro Vera and Portuguese Afonso Fazendeiro, before succumbing 7-5 6-7 6-3.

Sunday is the decisive round of the qualifiers, with eight matches spread over two courts, starting at 10 AM. The highlight will be the second match on Pietrangeli, with the pair Bruno/Iacovino chasing the main draw breakthrough.