Before players enjoy glory on the ATP Tour, they must first pass the ATP Challenger Tour. One of the longest-running Italian Challenger tournaments, the Serena Wines 1881 – Acqua Maniva Tennis Cup, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this week, has witnessed this first hand. The Challenger 75 event has hosted world-class players before they became household names.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz was a finalist in Cordenons just three years ago as a 17 year old. In 2013, Pablo Carreno Busta was crowned champion two weeks after he cracked the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time.
Though fans have seen a plethora of talent come through Cordenons, tournament director Serena Raffin has also endured through hardship to continue the tournament. In 2013, her father and tournament founder Eddi Raffin suffered a heart attack, passing away aged 61. While the event celebrates the 20-year milestone this week, the memory of Eddi lives on.
“It is special because I feel he is with me. It’s a strange feeling. I feel he is proud of me,” Serena said. “I thought it was impossible, but nothing is impossible. You can always try to find a different solution. We found it and I think my father is happy.”
Eddi and Serena Raffin. Credit: Raffin Family
Eddi casted a vision to host tournaments in Italy and little did he know how much the Cordenons Challenger would impact the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. It is now seen as the big event in that region and fans can catch a glimpse of pro tennis for just six euros.
When Eddi passed ten years ago, Serena decided to carry on the tradition. She put together a team and took on a large responsibility to become the tournament director. In 2013, just months after Eddi’s passing, the Cordenons Challenger still took place.
“I don’t know how we managed to organise the tournament that year,” Raffin said. “After that, it became more than a week of tennis. It became something that we cannot stop doing because it would be bad for his memory. It’s nice to think it’s been 20 years and a bit sad to think about 10 years without my father. But also it’s a pride to carry on this tradition.”
Out of 24 active Challenger tournaments in Italy, Cordenons is the third longest-running event (Barletta, Rome). Three players competed in Cordenons before ascending to the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings: Alcaraz, Carreno Busta and Mariano Puerta.
Carlos Alcaraz competes at the Cordenons Challenger in 2020. Credit: Antonio Ros
The past two champions, Zhang Zhizhen (2022) and Francisco Cerundolo (2021), have since graduated to the ATP Tour. In 2020, Bernabe Zapata Miralles won the title, defeating Alcaraz in the championship match, which was the 20-year-old’s lone final loss at the Challenger level (4-1).
Two home heroes have won in Cordenons: Filippo Volandri (2008) and Paolo Lorenzi, who triumphed in 2012 and in 2018.
“I always had good memories. I always had a special bond there,” Lorenzi said. “The first year I won there, Eddi was the tournament director. It was amazing to win again when Serena was the tournament director. What I remember the most was the crowd. Because every time I was playing in Cordenons, from the first round it was full of people supporting me a lot.”
Italian Riccardo Bonadio, who was born and raised 15 miles from Cordenons, emphasised the importance of the event. Seeded third this week in Cordenons, Bonadio is playing the event for the sixth consecutive year.
“I was born here so I know about the condition of tennis in this region and this is the main tournament of this region,” Bonadio said. “It’s a big opportunity for people to watch tennis because we don’t have a lot of events like this one. It’s 20 years that they’ve been doing this tournament and I hope they will do it for more time.”
Former World No. 33 Lorenzi, who is now the Cagliari Challenger tournament director, also said: “Serena, congratulations for these 20 years of the Cordenons Challenger. You and your team made an amazing job for me, I always loved playing there. I miss not playing there. I wish to you and your team another 20, 30 years of this tournament.”
Paolo Lorenzi won two Challenger titles in Cordenons during his career. Credit: Antonio Ros
-Reporting contributed by Josh Meiseles