July 15, 2022
Day of surprises in the quarterfinals
The ATP Challenger 100 Concord Iași Open tournament has entered a straight line. We have two more days until we find out the champions in the singles and doubles events and we already know the names of the players who will fight, on Saturday, for the qualification in the grand finals. We even know a first doubles finalist, set for Friday.
The singles quarterfinals provided, today, two big surprises, the main favorite and the seed no. 5 being eliminated.
The big blow was given by the Italian Luciano Darderi, 215th place ATP, who defeated in the quarters the main favorite, the Czech Jiri Lehecka, world number 70, score 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4. In the semifinals, Darderi will meet the Brazilian Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves, world number 169, favorite no. 8. The South American defeated in the quarters the Portuguese Frederico Ferreira Silva (284 ATP), score 6-4, 7-6 (5), who had passed on Thursday, in the eighth, Marius Copil.
The second big surprise of the day on the central field of the Ciric Sports Base was provided by the Brazilian Matheus Pucinelli De Almeida. Coming from the qualifications, the player ranked 228 ATP defeated in quarter 5 the favorite, the French Geoffrey Blancaneaux, world number 166, score 6-4, 6-4. In the ace square, Almeida will have an almost impossible mission in front of the experienced Spaniard Pablo Andujar. Favorite number 2 in Iași, the Iberian respected his status and clearly passed in the quarterfinals the Slovak Lukas Klein, world number 248, score 6-3, 6-4.
Friday's full results:
Simple quarters
Pablo Andujar (Spain, No. 2) - Lukas Klein (Slovakia) 6-3, 6-4
Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves (Brazil, No. 8) - Frederico Ferreira Silva (Portugal) 6-4, 7-6 (5)
Matheus Pucinelli De Almeida (Brazil, Q) - Geoffrey Blancaneaux (France, No. 5) 6-4, 6-4
Luciano Darderi (Italy) - Jiri Lehecka (Czech Republic, No. 1) 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4
Double quarter
Marius Copil / Victor Vlad Cornea (Romania) - Ștefan Paloși / Dan Tomescu (Romania) 7-6 (5), 6-1
Double semifinal
Diego Hidalgo / Cristian Rodriguez (Ecuador / Columbia, No. 2) - Luciano Darderi / Fernando Romboli (Italy / Brazil, No. 3) 6-3, 6-2
Schedule for Saturday, July 16:
Central Land (starting at 13.00)
Double semifinal
Geoffrey Blancaneaux / Renzo Olivo (France / Argentina) - Marius Copil / Ștefan Paloși (Romania)
Simple semifinals
Matheus Pucinelli De Almeida (Brazil, Q) - Pablo Andujar (Spain, No. 2)
Luciano Darderi (Italy) - Felipe Meligeni Rodriguez Alves (Brazil, No. 8)