Milan, July 3, 2026 – Marco Cecchinato is the only Italian left flying the flag at the 2026 Aspria Tennis Cup – BCS Trophy. With four Italians competing in today’s quarterfinals, only the Sicilian managed to reach the semifinals, winning the all-Italian clash against Basile.
It was not to be, however, for Juan Cruz Martin Manzano and Enrico Dalla Valle, though both leave the tournament with plenty of positives. Top seed Francisco Comesana also bids farewell to Milan, defeated by the Spaniard Rincon after an epic battle lasting 3 hours and 40 minutes. The semifinals are scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, July 4, at the Aspria Harbour Club: play begins at 12:00 PM with Heide vs. Cecchinato, followed by Rincon vs. Diaz Acosta.
The Matches
Kicking off the action on Centre Court was the “clash of giants” between Heide and Dalla Valle. It was a battle of power and nerves lasting a full 3 hours and 5 minutes, with the Brazilian emerging victorious 7-6, 7-6. Dalla Valle was heroic nonetheless, fighting for every point and confirming his excellent form in what was his sixth Challenger quarter-final of the season. The match was decided by just a few key moments; the Italian saved four match points before finally succumbing in the second tie-break.
In the end, Gustavo Heide prevailed, building on the strong results he achieved on the Challenger circuit between April and June—two titles and a final, alongside a career-high ranking reached just two weeks ago. “It was a really tough, grueling match; we both played very well and fought for every point. It wasn’t easy to win today against a home player, and I’m very happy to have reached the semi-finals. It’s my first time in Milan and I’m really enjoying it here; I like the city a lot, too,” the Brazilian said after the match.
Next up for Heide is another Italian: Marco Cecchinato, who finds the hopes of Italian tennis at the Milan ATP Challenger resting on his shoulders. The defending champion didn’t have to work too hard against wild card Basile, who retired while trailing 6-1, 3-0 due to a back issue. “It hurt too much, especially on my serve; I couldn’t play, and there was no point in continuing,” said a dejected Basile, who nonetheless wraps up a positive week.
The other semifinal will feature a clash between Rincon and Diaz Acosta. Rincon pulled off a remarkable feat in his 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 victory over Comesana—the number one seed, who sits a full 170 places higher in the rankings. It was an epic battle lasting three hours and forty minutes, destined to go down in the history of the Aspria Tennis Cup-Trofeo BCS. It was a war of both mind and body played under a scorching sun, with neither player holding anything back until the very last point. Rincon showed great resilience, staging two separate comebacks: first recovering from a 4-1 deficit in the third set, and then bouncing back from 0-4 down in the deciding tie-break. “I’m absolutely shattered; it was a grueling match,” said a visibly exhausted yet beaming Rincon after the game. “Now I just need to rest and recover; tomorrow I play another Argentine, and it’s going to be very tough again.”
That other Argentine is Diaz Acosta, who reaches the semifinal much fresher after making quick work of Martin Manzano. The result was a decisive 6-0, 6-2, with the Italian player ultimately overwhelmed by his opponent’s superior experience.
Finally, in the doubles tournament, the all-Italian pair of Francesco Forti and Filippo Romano reached the final in impressive fashion; they defeated Kravchenko and Sanchez Quilez 6-3, 6-1 and will face the Indian duo of Banthia and Kadhe in tomorrow’s final.
Heide (BRA) d. Dalla Valle (ITA): 7-6, 7-6
Diaz Acosta (ARG) d. Martin Manzano (ITA): 6-0, 6-2
Cecchinato (ITA) d. Basile (ITA): 6-1, 3-0
Rincon (ESP) d. Comesana (ARG): 6-4, 5-7, 7-6
The Semifinals
Saturday, July 4th, promises to be an exciting day: action begins at 12:00 PM with the Heide vs. Cecchinato match, followed by Rincon vs. Diaz Acosta. Finally, the doubles final is also on the schedule, featuring the Italian duo Forti/Romano against the Indian pair Banthia/Kadhe. The singles final is set for Sunday, July 5th, at 11:00 AM.
Admission to the club is by ticket only. Fans can already book seats in the stands at the Aspria Harbour Club (Via Cascina Bellaria); tickets—including those for the new Hospitality Area—are available via the Ticketone network. Alternatively, a ticket office is open at the club itself.
TV Coverage
Television coverage is extensive: the final on Sunday, July 5th, at 11:00 AM will be broadcast live on SuperTennis, and the entire tournament will be available via live stream on Challenger TV.
