The First ‘Full’ Day in Foro Italico among first times, surprises and ‘Players Party’

The first day of the Roman Major, after the weekend dedicated to the men’s qualifiers, was full of emotions and first times. Undoubtedly, the most important one came with the girls’ debut on the ‘blue’ of Foro Italico, a historic moment, with the qualification of the women’s draw.  It was a fantastic sight, with the players swarming between the four courts scattered around the venue, the legendary Pietrangeli and the Centre Court, the temple of international tennis. Among the big names on the court, immediately Victor Ruiz and Lucas Bergamini, finalists in the Milan PP1 against Lebron and Galan.

By the way, yesterday was the first Roman day of the FIP ranking number one couple, with a training session at the Pietrangeli followed by the fans in the venue. Also curious was the affectionate greeting of some Roma fans – one of them wearing the jersey of Giallorossi captain Lorenzo Pellegrini – to Argentinean Federico Mourińo, evidently because of his surname, which directly recalls the Special One, Josè Mourinho. Then, during the match between Cattaneo/Di Giovanni and Inzerillo/Moreau, the picturesque and former Top 20 Frenchman Benoit Paire appeared in the stands – cheering on his countrymen: “Jerome Inzerillo is a dear friend of mine: we used to play tennis together when we were young, he told me he played in Italy, so I came to see him very willingly, taking advantage of the fact I am playing San Benedetto del Tronto Challenger this week“.

Yesterday evening, while one of the circuit’s best-loved players, Miguel Lamperti, was putting on a show on the court, there was the ‘Players Party‘, an event dedicated to all the players for which they gave up the ‘technical look’ in favour of a particularly stylish outfit, amid music, flowers and a candlelit atmosphere.