Sometimes the entry list says more about a tournament than any announcement. This is precisely the case with the Moldova Open Challenger 100, which will be held in Chisinau from May 24 to 31 – the field is strong, tight, and competitive, with no clear favorite.
The main draw was directly entered by players from the top 120 to top 170 range, and this is always the most unpleasant category for everyone: Francesco Maestrelli (No. 112), Dalibor Svrcina (No. 116), Jan Choinski (No. 122), Hugo Dellien (No. 133), Pedro Martinez (No. 136), Roman Safiullin (No. 144), Luca Nardi (No. 151), Elmer Moller (No. 153), Zsombor Piros (No. 163) and Zdenek Kolar (No. 165).
These aren’t just “solid level” players – these are players who have either recently been on the ATP tour or are currently returning there. Pedro Martinez and Hugo Dellien are classic clay court players who can win tournaments over the long haul with consistency. Roman Safiullin is already an ATP-level player, and his appearance always means either a quick point gain or a serious title bid. Luca Nardi and Francesco The Maestrelli are representatives of a new wave who can either fail or sweep the entire draw with a vengeance.
But the real strength of this tournament lies in its depth. Already outside the top ten are players like Borna Gojo , Elias Ymer , Timofey Skatov , who know how to break down the grid and knock out the favorites without any unnecessary explanation.
Of particular interest is the alternative list, which appears too strong for a Challenger . It features ATP-level names: Laslo Djere , Thiago Monteiro , Daniel Elahi Galan , Sumit Nagal , and most importantly – Pavel Kotov .
Kotov is currently one of the most dangerous players at this level: he’s won the last few ATP Challenger tournaments and is in excellent form. If he makes the main draw, the conversation about the favorites will have to start all over again.
That’s the essence of the current Moldova Open lineup—there’s virtually no difference between the top and middle brackets. This isn’t a tournament where anyone comes “for the title.” It’s a tournament where everyone comes to fight for it.
And usually it is precisely these weeks that later give rise to new names for the ATP.
