Take A Cha, Cha Cecchinato Chance!

stringertom

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Congrats to Marco on winning his first ATP title in his first final at Budapest Open, defeating another first time finalist John Millman 7-5 6-4. Cecchinato took a chance and stuck around beautiful Budapest after losing his final round of qualifying and got the first Lucky Loser spot in the draw when Laslo Djere withdrew. His five wins in main draw this week more than doubles his career ATP-level total to nine.

The 25-year-old Sicilian (Palermo) turned pro in 2010 and has played the lion's share of those eight years at Challenger level clay tournaments (78% clay since 2011 his first full year as a pro). He has won three Challenger titles, the last nearly two years ago (Laslo again very Djere to him in that final).

Decent serve, beautiful ohbh. With the win he reaches a NCH #59 and will soon get on DE lists at all the Masters.

A real nice story of perseverance and being ready when your cha cha chance comes knocking on the door.

No rest for the cha cha Champion...he is headed to Munich for a 1R encounter with countryman and friend Fabio (Velvet) Fognini.
 
Let's not forget his ban for match fixing as well!

It was originally for 18 months from June 2016, then changed to 12 months in October 2016 and then it was overturned in December 2016.

Prosecutors accused the Italian of fixing the outcome of one of his matches at a Moroccan Challenger tournament on October 8th, 2015. The investigation claimed to have found evidence that the Italian, along with fellow player Riccardo Accardi, placed a bet on the him losing that match. Cecchinato has denied the allegation throughout the investigation.

Originally banned for 18 months, Cecchinato had his penalty reduced to 12 months in October after an independent tribunal ruled that he did not intentionally plan to fix a match. The tribunal accepted that the world No.188 never told Accardi that he was going to fix his match, but just notified him that he was feeling unwell.

Following on from the reduction in his sentence, Cecchinato’s ban has been fully overturned. The appeal committee at the Italian Olympic Committee concluded that there was ‘irregularities’ regarding how the evidence was gathered during the match-fixing investigation, ruling that the ban was not valid. He has also been exempt from paying his $20,000 fine.
Click to expand...

https://www.ubitennis.net/2016/12/marco-cecchinato-acquitted-of-match-fixing/

He definitely fixed the match, no doubt about that but there were issues with how the evidence was obtained. Pretty dodgy, seems to be very common with the Italians (Cecchinato, Starace, Accardi, Campo and Bracciali).
 
Aussie Darcy said:
Let's not forget his ban for match fixing as well!

It was originally for 18 months from June 2016, then changed to 12 months in October 2016 and then it was overturned in December 2016.

https://www.ubitennis.net/2016/12/marco-cecchinato-acquitted-of-match-fixing/

He definitely fixed the match, no doubt about that but there were issues with how the evidence was obtained. Pretty dodgy, seems to be very common with the Italians (Cecchinato, Starace, Accardi, Campo and Bracciali).
Click to expand...

Might explain some of Fognini's strangely up and down performances in matches too. Always wondered if he was just being a headcase or whether there was more to it?
 
Djere's shoulder issue to allow Cecchinato his chance has healed quickly enough for him to play 1R Istanbul. In a TB vs Istomin, first set.
 
Cech decided not to stay at the WATLYNM Lodge with a nice upset of Fognini in 1R Munich.

Up next is the Hungarian hunk Fucsovics. Keep the mo going, Marco!
 
Tbh not too impressed with him, meaning I expect him to hover around the #50 rank but not a lot better. Very cool that he’s won an ATP tournament though, only a small fraction of pro players get to have that. And I always support players with a 1hbh
 
merwy said:
Tbh not too impressed with him, meaning I expect him to hover around the #50 rank but not a lot better. Very cool that he’s won an ATP tournament though, only a small fraction of pro players get to have that. And I always support players with a 1hbh
Click to expand...
Found a zone so to speak...four ATP MD match wins in eight or nine years and six matches in nine days!

Oddly enough, the 2R match features #60 Fucsovics vs #61 Cech. As 60's Weed would say, this is for all The marbles...and to stay on pace with #59 Tiafoe.
 
Thread bumpity...nice 1R win at Rome vs Pablo be drunk Cuevas. Amazing what a title run builds in terms of confidence to problem solve and close, 2-6 7-5 6-4. Plays Goffin 2R.
 
Thread bumpity...two RG'18 slam match wins brings his match win count to 10 for the year, 2.5x as many career match wins entering the year.

After gutting out a 10-8 fifth set 1R win vs Copil, Marco cruised in 2R while ending the Cinderella Trungilletti story in straights with twin breadsticks.

Next up in 3R is #10 seed PCB (0-2 h2h, both on clay). The more recent matchup was in Rio earlier this year so this will be a good barometer of his recent improvement.

 
A tired McFly vs a fresh Chachi. The professor Emmett Brown must recharge the DeLorean while The Fonz will be in the corner for Chachi, encouraging every move. Joanie will lead the cheers with Richie, Mr. & Mrs. C, Potsie and Ralph pitching in. Hill Valley vs Milwaukee!!!

Be there or be square!
 
stringertom said:
A tired McFly vs a fresh Chachi. The professor Emmett Brown must recharge the DeLorean while The Fonz will be in the corner for Chachi, encouraging every move. Joanie will lead the cheers with Richie, Mr. & Mrs. C, Potsie and Ralph pitching in. Hill Valley vs Milwaukee!!!

Be there or be square!
Click to expand...
Meh:D
 
stringertom said:
A tired McFly vs a fresh Chachi. The professor Emmett Brown must recharge the DeLorean while The Fonz will be in the corner for Chachi, encouraging every move. Joanie will lead the cheers with Richie, Mr. & Mrs. C, Potsie and Ralph pitching in. Hill Valley vs Milwaukee!!!

Be there or be square!
Click to expand...
I ask you stringytom, "Has there ever been a more quiet and unexpected run to a slam QFs? From a, at best, lackluster journeyman with FOUR ATP level match wins prior to 2018 to another disappointing qualifying fail at Budapest, only to get in the draw when dear Djere withdrew and win the title. Now, 12 match wins later he's a RG QFist with wins over two top 10 seeds.

Take a chance on Chachi!!!
 
stringertom said:
Thread bumpity...two RG'18 slam match wins brings his match win count to 10 for the year, 2.5x as many career match wins entering the year.

After gutting out a 10-8 fifth set 1R win vs Copil, Marco cruised in 2R while ending the Cinderella Trungilletti story in straights with twin breadsticks.

Next up in 3R is #10 seed PCB (0-2 h2h, both on clay). The more recent matchup was in Rio earlier this year so this will be a good barometer of his recent improvement.

Click to expand...
Bumpity for the biggest surprise at RG since Martin Verkerk in 2003.

Also a cha cha chance to enjoy some ABBA.:cool:
 
Holy Madonna!!

Who would have thought we got to this point?

An Italian.... last time in 1978!

Its Marcos happiest moment in his life.

From BBC

Cecchinato, who was banned for match-fixing in 2016 before having the suspension overturned, is the first Italian man to reach a Grand Slam semi-final since 1978.

He is also the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage at Roland Garros since world number 100 Andrei Medvedev in 1999.

Cecchinato knocked out eighth seed David Goffin and 10th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in previous rounds, and said the achievement had "changed his life".

"Maybe I'm sleeping. It's amazing, it's unbelievable for me. I'm very happy because it's unbelievable to beat Novak Djokovic in a quarter-final at Roland Garros," he added.

And on the winning match point, he said: "When I saw my return hit the line it was the best moment of my life."
 
TheGhostOfAgassi said:
Holy Madonna!!

Who would have thought we got to this point?

An Italian.... last time in 1978!

Its Marcos happiest moment in his life.

From BBC

Cecchinato, who was banned for match-fixing in 2016 before having the suspension overturned, is the first Italian man to reach a Grand Slam semi-final since 1978.

He is also the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage at Roland Garros since world number 100 Andrei Medvedev in 1999.

Cecchinato knocked out eighth seed David Goffin and 10th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in previous rounds, and said the achievement had "changed his life".

"Maybe I'm sleeping. It's amazing, it's unbelievable for me. I'm very happy because it's unbelievable to beat Novak Djokovic in a quarter-final at Roland Garros," he added.

And on the winning match point, he said: "When I saw my return hit the line it was the best moment of my life."
Click to expand...
ABBA's heyday, the late 70's!

Here's another for Movin' On Marco:

 
Thread bumpity!

After the very unexpected run to the RG SFs, Marco took some time to reboot for the brief grass season and then secured seeding and a 1R bye at this week's ATP250 Eastbourne tournament and the chance to double or more his career match experience (0-1) on the surface.

The move paid off as he has won his first two matches and is the sole seed to advance to the SFs. Both wins came against grass veterans (Istomin, Millman) in three sets.

Next up, Marco will be tested by another grass veteran Lucas Lacko. Despite both players being mainstays on the Challenger tour, they have yet to meet.

The huge jump up the rankings (live #28) has earned Cech the #31 seed at Wimby.
 
Seen final set vs Millman. Not bad at all. The big weapon is his stamina and the focus. He really does look like very focused.
Seen some nice drop shots and slices well his BH. Checho was able to bring the match to his terms, forcing longer rallies defending well, and attacking well possible.
 
albertobra said:
Seen final set vs Millman. Not bad at all. The big weapon is his stamina and the focus. He really does look like very focused.
Seen some nice drop shots and slices well his BH. Checho was able to bring the match to his terms, forcing longer rallies defending well, and attacking well possible.
Click to expand...
He has grass skills but he played just one match on the surface before this week.
 
jaggy said:
Nice win today over Vesely
Click to expand...
Clutch...got bossed for the first set and was in trouble throughout the second before a closing break. Then in the third he kept working until he got the closing game MP and converted. fedresque 2/13 BP conversion rate did not dissuade him from the mission.
 
Second final of the year for Cech and he faces Guido Pella of Wimby'18 fame from his upset comeback vs Cilic. First he takes out the Croatian #1 and now he goes to his house and tries for a title.
 
I heard some people comparing him with Verkerk, in the sense of showing up only once, doing an unbelievable run and then falling down on oblivion.

And these people are clearly clueless IMO. He is much more a case of a Gaudio or of a Soderling, who were underanked for whatever reasons and not being able to take advantage of their real potential. Top 20 is the least I expect from him given all the weapons he possess for clay court tennis. The least.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

stringertom
  • Poll Poll
Who’s Your Cecchinato Horse of 2019 At RG
Replies
34
Views
2K
Nadal_Django
Nadal_Django
Beacon Hill
Nothing Runs Like A Djere
Replies
20
Views
2K
Gazelle
Gazelle
stringertom
  • Poll Poll
ATP250 Umag General Discussion: Post-Wimby Hangover Thread Diversion
Replies
30
Views
2K
stringertom
stringertom
spystud
WTA week of 7/15; Palermo & Budapest 250s
Replies
31
Views
878
spystud
spystud
stringertom
O Sole Miomir! The Sun Shines Brightly on Miomir Kecmanovic
2
Replies
88
Views
6K
Cobaine
Cobaine
Back
Top