Shevchenko Cracks Top 100 With 3rd Challenger Title

Still early in his young career, Alexander Shevchenko may never forget this week on the ATP Challenger Tour.

The 22-year-old, who was one of four Challenger champions Sunday, captured this third Challenger title in Madrid to move into the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time.

In the final of the II Open Comunidad de Madrid, Shevchenko defeated top seed and defending champion Pedro Cachin 6-4, 6-3 to win his second title of the season (Tenerife). Despite making less than half of his first serves against Cachin, Shevchenko won 17 of 20 points off his first delivery.

“It feels amazing to win the title,” Shevchenko said. “It was a tough week, didn’t start that well but ended up winning it… In the semi-final, I knew if I would win that, it would be tough but I would be safe in the Top 100.”

After dropping the opening set 0-6 in his semi-final against Francesco Passaro, Shevchenko rallied to survive, winning the next two sets 6-2, 6-3. The victory over the third-seeded Italian helped lift Shevchenko to a career-high No. 98.

Shevchenko is the sixth Top 100 debutant of 2023, joining Wu Yibing, Max Purcell, Luca Van Assche, Christopher Eubanks, and Alexandre Muller.

“My reaction to the Top 100 is amazing, I always dreamed of it as a kid,” Shevchenko said. “After the Phoenix Challenger, I pretty much knew I would stay close, but all the guys were playing so well and put me under pressure to get into Roland Garros main draw. There were some tough weeks but now it feels unreal that I made it.”

Shevchenko, who has lived in Vienna since age nine, made a breakthrough at last month’s Challenger 175 event in Phoenix, where he advanced through qualifying en route to a finalist finish. During the Arizona Tennis Classic, Shevchenko upset top seed Matteo Berrettini and defeated his childhood idol Gael Monfils.

Alexander Shevchenko celebrates winning the Madrid Challenger. Credit: Alberto Simón

In other Challenger Tour action, Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard claimed his maiden Challenger title at the Mextenis Leon Open. The 19-year-old survived a marathon 6-7(5), 7-6(6), 7-6(3) final against Argentine Juan Pablo Ficovich.

Mpetshi Perricard’s final two matches in Leon consisted of five tie-breaks. The 6’7” Lyon native held his nerve in his first Challenger final, firing 21 aces against Ficovich, to rise to a career-high No. 229.

The big-serving Mpetshi Perricard is the fifth teenage Challenger champion of the season, joining Luca Van Assche, Arthur Fils, Shintaro Mochizuki, and Hamad Medjedovic.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard triumphs at the Challenger 75 event in Leon, Mexico. Credit: Ricardo Sanchez

Mpetshi Perricard, Van Assche, and Fils are the first French teen trio to claim Challenger titles in a single season since 2005: Gael Monfils, Richard Gasquet, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT GIOVANNI MPETSHI PERRICARD

At the Split Open in Croatia, Zsombor Piros earned his third Challenger crown and first of the season. The 23-year-old went through an eventful Sunday to collect the title, including defeating Slovakian Norbert Gombos 7-6(2), 7-6(9) in the championship match, which was held shortly after he completed his semi-final against top seed Christopher O’Connell.

The semi-final was delayed due to rain Saturday, with Piros leading 6-2, 3-2 when play resumed the following day. Matches were moved indoors Sunday, but the Hungarian held his ground to oust the Aussie 6-2, 6-4. Later in the evening, Piros had his hands around the Split Challenger trophy.

Zsombor Piros is crowned champion at the Split Challenger. Credit: Split Open

The Budapest native fended off two set points in the second-set tie-break against Gombos before converting his third championship point. Following the Challenger 75 title, Piros propels to a career-high 137.

On the green clay of Sarasota, Florida, fifth seed Daniel Altmaier dropped just one set all week en route to collecting his seventh Challenger title. In the final, the German ousted defending champion Daniel Elahi Galan 7-6(1), 6-1 to win the Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open.

The 24-year-old Altmaier, who earned three Challenger titles in 2022, joins a strong list of former champions in Sarasota, where Nick Kyrgios, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Kei Nishikori, and James Blake have all triumphed.

Daniel Altmaier in action at the Sarasota Challenger. Credit: Janet Combs

In Sarasota doubles action, Julian Cash and Henry Patten defeated Guido Andreozzi and Guillermo Duran 7-6(4), 6-4 to be crowned champions and improve to a 11-2 record in Challenger finals. In 2022, the British duo’s 10 team titles marked a Challenger Tour record. Earlier this month, Cash and Patten competed in their first tour-level final in Houston, but fell short to Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson.

It was very nice to be invited to the Sarasota challenger today. I won this event in 2010. It was even nicer to hear they are naming their Court 1 the Kei Nishikori Court. Thank you! 🙏🙏. Very honored. @ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/UXuFOBVx49

— Kei Nishikori (@keinishikori) April 15, 2023