Thompson Wins Fourth Challenger Title Of 2016 In Traralgon

A LOOK BACK

Latrobe City Traralgon Challenger (Traralgon, Australia): Top seed Jordan Thompson enjoyed the taste of victory on home soil in Traralgon, lifting his fourth ATP Challenger Tour trophy of the year. Thompson downed Grega Zemlja 6-1, 6-2 in 65 minutes, firing seven aces and converting five of 15 break points. The Aussie extends his win streak to 10 straight, following a title run in Ho Chi Minh City two weeks ago. He is one of four players to win four or more titles this year, joining Facundo Bagnis (5), Gerald Melzer (4) and Yen-Hsun Lu (4). 

“It feels great,” said Thompson. “I always love playing in Australia. It’s good to make the final, like I did last year, but to go one better is great. I’m playing well and winning two in a row is an awesome feeling. Going back-to-back in two different countries doesn’t come often.” 

WHB Hungarian Open (Budapest, Hungary): Unseeded Romanian Marius Copil dominated at the inaugural event in Budapest, not dropping a set en route to the title. The Tecnifibre player defeated fourth seed Steve Darcis 6-4, 6-2 in Sunday’s final, claiming his third ATP Challenger Tour title and first since 2013. Challenger tennis returned to the Hungarian capital for the first time since 2005 and will make its ATP World Tour debut next year on red clay.

Lima Challenger Copa Claro (Lima, Peru): It has been three years since a 16-year-old Christian Garin burst onto the scene in winning his first ATP World Tour match in Vina del Mar and claiming the Roland Garros junior title a few months later. Fast forward to 2016 and the Chilean is just outside the Top 200 of the Emirates ATP Rankings after claiming his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Lima, Peru. Garin defeated Guido Andreozzi 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(3) on Sunday, having not dropped a set all week entering the final. He joins Gonzalo Lama as Chilean winners on the Challenger circuit this year.

Andreozzi represented the 25th Argentine finalist (17-8 record) on the ATP Challenger Tour this year.

Argentine Dominance Of The South American Swing

KPIT-MSLTA Challenger (Pune, India): World No. 359 Sadio Doumbia completed one of the more improbable title runs of the year, claiming his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Pune on Saturday. The Frenchman defeated four seeded opponents, including a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 comeback over eighth seed Prajnesh Gunneswaran for the championship. It was the first final this year to feature players outside the Top 300 of the Emirates ATP Rankings.

The 26-year-old Doumbia is the ninth different Frenchman to win a title this year, impressively rallied from a set down in four of his five matches. His first career Top 200 victory came in defeating top seed Evgeny Donskoy in the quarter-finals.

China International Suzhou (Suzhou, China): Top seed Yen-Hsun Lu dominated the final at the $75,000 event in Suzhou, streaking past #NextGen star Stefan Kozlov 6-0, 6-1 in 52 minutes. It was the fewest games in a completed ATP Challenger Tour final this year. Lu extended his record title haul with his 26th crown, winning his second in as many weeks. Kozlov was appearing in his third Challenger final and remains in search of his maiden title. He will break into the Top 150 of the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time.

A LOOK AHEAD

There are four tournaments on four continents next week, with defending champion Gastao Elias the top seed in Guayaquil, Ecuador, reigning champ and #NextGen star Noah Rubin competing in Charlottesville, U.S.A., Jordan Thompson seeking a third straight Challenger title at the Canberra Tennis International, and home hope Florian Mayer leading a strong field in Eckental, Germany.