Wednesday was filled with four matches in which Romanian players were involved at the "Concord Iași Open" 2020, the ATP Challenger 100 tournament organized on the grounds of the Ciric Sports Base of Iași City Hall.
Thus, the pair formed by the Romanians Vlad Victor Cornea and Alexandru Jecan saved two match balls to achieve a very valuable victory for them, in the first round of the doubles event. After winning 6-2 in the first set of the match with the Swede Andre Goransson and the Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, Victor and Alexandru were tied after a 7-5 in the second set. In the match tie break, although they led at one point with 5-1, the Romanians were forced to save two set balls when their opponents were leading by 9-7. Even more: Victor and Alexandru won four points in a row and the match, thus qualifying for the quarterfinals of the doubles tournament.
In the singles tournament, in the second round, the first to enter the field was Cezar Cretu. Even if in the second set he played on equal terms with the much more experienced Spaniard Jaume Munar, Cezar Cretu from Iași was forced to declare himself defeated. It was 6-1, 6-4, for the favorite no. 2, and after this game, Filip Cristian Jianu entered the field, for his meeting with one of the series leaders, the Brazilian Joao Menezes.
The match was a very interesting one, our compatriot meeting the favorite Brazilian no. 7 of the competition, ranked with over 200 places higher in the ATP rankings, a difference that was not seen at all in the first set. The Brazilian won with difficulty, in the tie break, with 7-6 (3), at the end of a set in which no player had any chance to break.
The second set, on the other hand, was diametrically opposed in terms of score and development, with many chances to break, and Filip Jianu could not concentrate as he did in the first set. And the result was seen: two successful breaks and 6-2 for Menezes, who goes to the quarterfinals of the largest and most important tennis organized in Romania, and the most important tennis tournament in this area of Europe.
As for Jianu, he has not left the whole tournament, because in about two hours he will play in the doubles, where he pairs with Cezar Cretu, a player who is from Iasi.
Finally, the last match of the day at "Concord Iași Open" 2020, the ATP Challenger 100 tournament organized on the grounds of the Ciric Sports Base of Iași City Hall, was the last match played here by Romanians Filip Cristian Jianu and Cezar Cretu.
Already eliminated in the singles, Philip and Caesar played together in the doubles tournament, but the superior experience of their opponents spoke for itself.
Enzo Couacaud, from France, and the Brazilian Fernando Romboli won in two sets, 6-4, 6-3, in front of our pair, Cezar Cretu and Filip Cristian Jianu.
"Concord Iași Open", ATP Challenger 100 Category tournament, endowed with total prizes worth 88,520 euros, enjoys the support of Iași City Hall and appreciates the interest shown by private companies in Romania: Concord Service Center, Nera Computers, Certus Software, Coriolan Aur Smarald, Albrau Prod, Unirea Hotel Complex, Texdata, Fiterman Pharma and Lenovo.
FINAL RESULTS, SEPTEMBER 16
Singles, Round 2
[2] J. Munar (ESP) - [WC] Cezar Crețu (ROU) 6-1, 6-4
[4] J. Rodionov (AUT) - [Q] T. Etcheverry (ARG) 6-3, 6-4
[7] J. Menezes (BRA) - [WC] Filip Jianu (ROU) 7-6 (3), 6-2
M. Bourgue (FRA) - M. Barrios Vera (CHI) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles, Round 1
[1] L. Bambridge (GBR) / B. McLachlan (JPN) - [PR] A. De Greef (BEL) / Q. Halys (FRA) 75 64
[2] L. Martinez (VEN) / M. Reyes-Varela (MEX) - T. Gabashvili (RUS) / A. Menendez-Maceiras (ESP) 64 36 10-5
[3] T. Huey (PHI) / N. Lammons (USA) - F. Meligeni Rodrigues Alves (BRA) / P. Polansky (CAN) 67 (5) 63 10-6
A. Lawson (USA) / H. Reese (USA) - C. Ilkel (TUR) / E. Karlovskiy (RUS) 76 (5) 64
E. Couacaud (FRA) / F. Romboli (BRA) - [WC] C. Cretu (ROU) / F. Jianu (ROU) 64 63
[WC] V. Cornea (ROU) / A. Jecan (ROU) - A. Goransson (SWE) / A. Rinderknech (FRA) 62 57 11-9
SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
Field 1, from 11 AM
A. Menendez-Maceiras (ESP) vs. [3] A. Rinderknech (FRA)
[1] P. Andujar (ESP) vs. M. Jaziri (TUN)
[WC] V. Cornea (ROU) / A. Jecan (ROU) vs R. Galloway (USA) / H. Hach Verdugo (MEX)
Field 2, from 11 AM
[5] C. Taberner (ESP) vs. [Q] K. Zuk (POL)
F. Cerundolo (ARG) vs [Q] F. Meligeni Rodrigues Alves (BRA)
[3] T. Huey (PHI) / N. Lammons (USA) vs. E. Couacaud (FRA) / F. Romboli (BRA)
Field 5, from 12 PM
R. Matos (BRA) / J. Menezes (BRA) vs [2] L. Martinez (VEN) / M. Reyes-Varela (MEX)
[1] L. Bambridge (GBR) / B. McLachlan (JPN) vs. A. Lawson (USA) / H. Reese (USA)

PHOTO: Cristina HUȚU