Challenger
Brouwer and Munar save MPs on technique to Challenger title races
Nakagawa outlasts Trotter in marathon closing
September 24, 2024
Saint-Tropez opening
Gijs Brouwer wins the ATP Challenger Tour 125 occasion in Saint-Tropez, France.
By ATP employees
Gijs Brouwer and Jaume Munar secured match factors final week on their technique to profitable trophies on the ATP Challenger Tour.
Whereas the 28-year-old Brouwer certified by means of the qualifiers and took his first Challenger title, Munar triumphed at that stage for the eighth consecutive season, a file.
Dutchman Brouwer defeated favourite and former world quantity 10 Lucas Pouille 6-4, 7-6(2) within the closing of the Saint-Tropez Open on Sunday. Brouwer saved two match factors within the quarterfinals towards Benjamin Bonzi, who was the one participant to take a set from the left-hander all week.
“It feels unimaginable. I’ve actually been making an attempt for years to [a Challenger title] and now I lastly have one. I am tremendous completely happy,” Brouwer mentioned. “The important thing this week was the mentality, being in my head, at all times being constructive throughout the week. I simply saved taking part in and did not suppose an excessive amount of in regards to the rating. Simply with a transparent head each level and combating for each level.”
Munar, 27, received his tenth Challenger Trophy on the Dangerous Waltersdorf Trophy in Austria. The highest favorite defeated Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-2, 6-1 within the closing, a day after Munar fended off three match factors to beat American Nicolas Moreno De Alboran within the final 4 video games.
Jaume Munar crowned champion at the Bad Waltersdorf Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2024/09/24/14/34/munar-badwaltersdorfch-2024.jpg”>
Jaume Munar crowns himself champion at the Bad Waltersdorf Challenger. Credit: Bad Waltersdorf Trophy
In other Challenger action, Naoki Nakagawa survived an all-Japanese marathon final to be crowned champion at the Columbus Challenger. After three hours and 16 minutes, Nakagawa defeated James Trotter 7-6(8), 5-7, 7-6(5) to secure his first Challenger title.
Nakagawa, who defeated top favorite Christopher Eubanks in the quarterfinals, entered the week with a career record of 4-29 in Challenger main draw matches and had not won a main draw match at that level since October 2023. Following his title run, the 27-year-old has climbed 94 spots in the PIF ATP Rankings to sit at world No. 335, one spot shy of equaling his career high.
Frenchman Valentin Royer won the BCR Sibiu Open in Romania, where he defeated compatriot Luka Pavlovic 6-4, 6-0 in the final. The 23-year-old Royer, who was playing in his second Challenger final of the year, is ranked a career-high World No. 182.
Argentine Juan Pablo Ficovich returned to the winner’s circle at the KIA Open in Cali, Colombia. The 27-year-old needed a deciding set in his first four matches before beating #NextGenATP Gonzalo Bueno 6-0, 6-4 in the title match. Ficovich was taking revenge for the 20-year-old’s defeat in the final of Concepcion Challenger in April.
Power Couples 🔥
Congratulations to this week’s doubles champions! #ATPCchallenge photo.twitter.com/OBOZmPyuYv
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 22, 2024