It was a weekend of comebacks and thrilling championship matches on the ATP Challenger Tour, three of 4 tournaments have been determined in final-set tie-breaks.
Ricardas Berankis and Hugo Grenier survived three-set finals to assert Challenger titles whereas Alessandro Giannessi fended off a championship level in Zadar, Croatia to win his fourth Challenger crown. In Switzerland, Jurij Rodionov efficiently defended his title on the Biel Challenger.
Berankis survived house hope Dan Added within the St. Brieuc Challenger ultimate to win his 14th Challenger title. Regardless of having two match factors within the second set, Berankis was pushed to a decider however in the end prevailed 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-6(5) to win the Open Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglomeration.
En path to his first Challenger title since August 2019 (Vancouver), the 32-year-old Berankis ousted high seed Antoine Escoffier within the quarter-finals.
In Las Franquesas Del Valles, Spain, second seed Grenier rallied from a set down in every of his ultimate three matches to assert his fourth Challenger title.
Within the championship match, the Frenchman accomplished a comeback from 2-5 within the deciding set to defeat British qualifier Billy Harris 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(3) and win the Challenger Membership Els Gorchs.
Hugo Grenier (left) and Billy Harris on the Las Franquesas del Valles Challenger trophy presentation. Credit score: Jordi Ramos
“This week was wonderful for me as a result of the start of the season hasn’t been simple for me,” Grenier stated. “I gained [the semi-final and final] in a third-set tie-break so for me it’s an incredible week. It’s at all times good to win these lengthy matches.”
Harris was competing in his first Challenger ultimate after upsetting high seed Max Purcell within the ultimate 4 to finish the Aussie’s 18-match win streak.
On the clay courts of Croatia, Giannessi saved a championship level at 5/6 within the third-set tie-break to flee Sebastian Ofner 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(6) and win the Falkensteiner Punta Skala Zadar Open.
Regardless of holding a 4-0, 40/0 lead within the deciding set towards Ofner, the 32-year-old Italian was pressured to a tie-break earlier than scoring his fourth Challenger title and first since Could 2019 (Vicenza).
On the FlowBank Challenger Biel in Switzerland, followers have been handled to a ultimate between the 2021 champion Liam Broady and the reigning titlist Rodionov, who dropped only one set en path to defending his title. The Austrian Rodionov led Broady 6-3 earlier than the Brit retired with a wrist damage.
Jurij Rodionov in motion Sunday on the Biel Challenger. Credit score: Meierhans Fotografie
The 23-year-old Rodionov, who’s No. 126 within the Pepperstone ATP Dwell Rankings, earned his sixth Challenger title and first of this season.
“[Biel] is like house to me,” Rodionov stated. “I haven’t misplaced a match on this soil, it simply feels nice. I hope I can proceed my momentum into the following few weeks and achieve a whole lot of factors earlier than Roland Garros and Wimbledon to hopefully get into the principle draw.
“Sadly [Sunday’s] ultimate didn’t finish the best way I wished it to. I want Liam a fast restoration.”
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from Tennis – ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/ZOmrc7B