Praise from the Players
“I’ve been here before for Futures events, but the Challenger is another level,” said Croatian rising star Lukas Mikrut, the top seed in Monastir who reached the quarterfinals.
“I like the courts – they’re not too fast, so you can get good rallies. The weather is perfect, not too hot, though the wind can be tricky. It’s also very convenient to have the hotel right on site. Everything is close, and you can even train before your matches.”
Champion Lorenzo Giustino had a slightly different view about the conditions.
“The Center Court is very slow,” noted the 34-year-old Italian. “Courts 1 and 2 are faster, which suits my game more.”
Surprisingly, it was only Giustino’s second time competing in Monastir.
“When I play on the ITF circuit, I usually stay in Spain,” explained the Barcelona-based player, who lives there with his wife and child. “But the courts here are excellent, the bounce is very consistent, and the organization is great. The food is fine, everything is clean—there’s really nothing to complain about,” added the world No. 269 with a smile.
