Nicolas Eli Y Lucio Ratti they returned to compete officially and did it in the best way. After a competitive break motivated by the restrictions of the pandemic and health problems in Eli’s case, both players were brilliantly awarded the regional contest organized by the Argentine Tennis Association on the Hebraic Society of Pilar.
While Eli was champion in the U16 category, Ratti was consecrated in the U18, being the first time that two players of the VTA Academy they are crowned simultaneously in tournaments of this tenor.
In addition, the victory brought an additional joy to the work team led by Andy Chalcoff since it is the first titles since the return of the aforementioned academy to the historic fields of Cajón del Cañuelas Fútbol Club on Matheu street.
Showing that the health problems that afflicted him are a thing of the past, Eli prevailed in all his commitments with great forcefulness and without margin of doubt. His results were eloquent in terms of the level of the Cañuelense.
In the first round he won by 6/4 and 6/4. In the second round the score was 6/2 and 6/0. In the quarterfinals he overwhelmed his rival by 6/0 6/0 while the salient note of his participation was in the semifinals when he defeated the number 2 in the national ranking by 6/1 and 6/0. Already in the decisive match, the red-haired player won by a clear 6/4 6/1 to win the contest.
It should be noted that Nico participated in the competition at a request from the Argentine Tennis Association due to the proximity of the South American and World tournaments of the category, they needed to assess their level to contemplate their call for such international commitments.
At the same time Lucio Ratti fulfilled in his first foray in the U-18 an impressive performance as he had to circumvent the classification (in his two games he won by double 6/0) to enter the main draw. Once placed among the best, he showed that the change of category did not weigh on him since he also won the tournament without giving up sets.
On his way to the title, the Lobos player who trains in Cañuelas won successively by 6/2 6/0, in the first round, by 6/3 6/0 in the second round, by 6/4 6/0 in the quarterfinals, by 6/4 6/2 in semifinals and by 6/4 6/4 in the final.
Franco Squillari -former semi-finalist at Roland Garros and currently working in the AAT- was in charge of delivering the trophies to the red-haired players, who were very satisfied with the level exhibited in a contest that was awarded from end to end.
Leonardo Garavaglia.
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