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Humbert Beats Rublev For Halle Title

  • Posted: Jun 20, 2021

Frenchman Ugo Humbert overcame Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6(4) on Sunday to claim his first ATP 500 title at the NOVENTI OPEN title in Halle.

The World No. 31 is now 3-0 in ATP Tour finals. The Frenchman also lifted trophies at the European Open in Antwerp and the ASB Classic in Auckland, both ATP 250 events, last year.

“It is incredible. It is the best victory of my career,” Humbert said. “I am very proud because it wasn’t easy. I was a little bit tired, but I tried to stay focused on each point, and did what I could, so it is very nice.

“I tried to stay aggressive and take the ball early because in the baseline rallies it was tough, because Andrey was hitting the ball very hard. Physically, it was tough, and I tried to take my chances when I could, and I won.”

Humbert won 85 per cent (45/53) of points on his first serve and hit nine aces to claim victory in 87 minutes. The lefty is now level at 1-1 in his ATP Head2Head series with Rublev.

After an even start to the contest, Humbert made the crucial breakthrough in the eighth game of the opening set as the 22-year-old started to dictate with his aggressive forehand. Humbert, who hit five aces in the first set, continued to serve well, as he fended off two break points to close out the set.

Both players looked to stay on top of the baseline in the second set as the match continued on serve, with neither man facing a break point as it moved to a tie-break. Humbert held his nerve, closing the net at every opportunity to record the victory.

“It has been a really great week for me, with my first grass final,” Rublev said. “It was not easy in the beginning. Everything was so fast, just one or two shots. At 3-4 I hit three second serves in a row and he returned twice deep and with the new balls it was really tough.

“The second set was good for both of us. In the tie-break I had a big chance with the forehand but I missed them, but it happens and I can’t control it. He was serving very well.”

Rublev is now 33-10 on the season and has a 4-2 win record in ATP 500-level finals. Despite the defeat, the Russian will rise to third position in the FedEx ATP Race To Turin for a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 14-21 November at the Pala Alpitour. The 23-year-old is behind only Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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Challenger #NextGenATP First-Time Winner: Jesper De Jong

  • Posted: Jun 20, 2021

Jesper De Jong won’t forget this week anytime soon.

Not only did the 21-year-old win his first ATP Challenger Tour title, but he was nearly untouchable in doing so. De Jong did not drop a set in seven matches in Almaty, Kazakhstan, sprinting through qualifying and dominating the rest of the way.

The Dutchman lifted the trophy at the Beeline Challenger 80 following a ruthless 6-1, 6-2 victory over Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera on Sunday. He needed just 60 minutes to dismiss his Chilean opponent and secure his maiden moment.

With the win, De Jong becomes the youngest player from The Netherlands to claim a Challenger crown since Thiemo de Bakker in 2009. The Haarlem native, who turned 21 just three weeks ago, is among those leading the charge for the European nation this year. Projected to rise to a career-high No. 260 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, he will crack the Top 300 for the first time on Monday.

Mentored by former doubles No. 1 Paul Haarhuis and longtime Dutch coach Raymond Knaap, De Jong has seen his game develop and mature greatly in 2021. Standing at 5’11”, while he doesn’t possess an overwhelming serve and mammoth forehand, it’s his drive and attacking mentality that have him surging up the FedEx ATP Rankings. An agile mover and aggressive competitor, the Dutchman is announcing his arrival.

De Jong is the 15th #NextGenATP (born in 2000 or later) champion of the year on the ATP Challenger Tour. He is projected to rise more than 50 spots to the Top 20 in the ATP Race To Milan.

De Jong

The 21-year-old spoke to ATPTour.com following his victory in Almaty…

Jesper, congrats on winning your first Challenger title. How does it feel? What are your emotions?
I’m really happy with this win. I don’t know what to say. For the first five minutes I was thinking, ‘I just won a Challenger’. Before the week, I was happy just qualifying for the main draw and now this is just incredible. It’s the greatest moment of my career. I played some big matches and I’m really happy.

It was an amazing tournament for you, winning seven matches as a qualifier. How do you explain what you achieved this week?
Playing seven matches in one week is always tough, but going into the main draw it’s a huge confidence boost. Especially for me, because I didn’t play a lot of Challenger matches this year. I think it gave me a lot of confidence and in the first round I had a tough draw against the three seed [Kimmer Coppejans]. After seven matches I still feel fresh so I think it’s a good sign. Next week I can hopefully keep going.

You are the youngest Dutch champion in 12 years, since Thiemo de Bakker in 2009. What is your reaction to that? And how do you hope to inspire other young players in your country?
It’s a nice thing. I know Thiemo very well and admire what he’s achieved in his career. I hope he’s coming back. For the young players, I hope they work really hard to get here. Work hard, have a good team around you and believe in yourself. And don’t take it too fast without enjoying the journey.

De Jong

You already won three Challenger doubles titles this year. How did those victories help you to grow and develop your game?
I like playing doubles a lot and it’s always nice to win titles, especially in Challengers. You can practise your serves, returns and volley game. Even if it’s in doubles, you’re winning matches and that’s important. I’m really happy to add a singles title to the three in doubles.

Who has had the biggest influence on your career thus far?
My two coaches at the moment. Raymond Knaap and Paul Haarhuis. I was mentally down at the beginning of the first week in Almaty. But I practised really well with Raymond and that helped me get confidence going into this week. My other coach, Paul Haarhuis, is a former No. 1 in doubles and he has also helped me a lot to get where I am today.

Outside of tennis, what is your biggest passion in life?
I’m a big football fan. I always love to watch football. When I was younger I played a lot as well, but then I had to make the choice between tennis and football. I think I made the right decision.

Speaking of football, the most important question… Will Holland win the Euros?
I think they will. We already won two matches and we have a really good team with Frenkie de Jong leading us. I can’t wait to watch the rest of the matches and I think we will win the cup.


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Herbert/Mahut Move Into Queen’s Club Final

  • Posted: Jun 19, 2021

Fourth seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut edged past seventh seeds Marcus Daniell and Philipp Oswald 6-4, 3-6, 11-9 to reach the final of the cinch Championships on Saturday in London.

Last week’s Roland Garros champions (d. Bublik/Golubev) saved three match points in the deciding set as they came back from 6/9 to advance in 84 minutes.

The French tandem hit seven aces and won 76 per cent (32/42) of their first-service points. Herbert and Mahut are now 24-7 on the season, and will be aiming to win a second title at The Queen’s Club on Sunday, after lifting the trophy in 2016 (d. Guccione/Sa).

They will play either Reilly Opelka and John Peers or singles finalist Cameron Norrie and Alex de Minaur in the final, after their match was suspended due to rain on Saturday evening at The Queen’s Club with Opelka and Peers 7-6(4), 2-2 ahead.

Over at the NOVENTI OPEN in Halle, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Hubert Hurkacz’s impressive week continued as they overcame fifth seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus 7-6(4), 6-2 in 91 minutes to reach the final in Germany.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

The 2020 Rolex Paris Masters champions saved both break points they faced in the match and struck seven aces to beat the German-New Zeland team.

Auger-Aliassime and Hurkacz’s reward is a title match on Sunday against third seeds Kevin Krawietz and Horia Tecau, after the pair defeated sixth seeds Joran Vliegen and Sander Gille 7-6(6), 7-5 on Friday.

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Surging De Minaur Handed Tricky Draw In Eastbourne

  • Posted: Jun 19, 2021

Second seed Alex de Minaur will face a tricky opening test at the Viking International Eastbourne as he awaits the winner of Frances Tiafoe and wild card Liam Broady at the ATP 250 grass-court event.

De Minaur, who is seeking his first title on this surface to add to his four ATP Tour trophies, received a bye into the second round. The No. 22 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings will arrive in Eastbourne with momentum on his side after reaching a quarter-final in Stuttgart and two semi-finals at The Queen’s Club in singles and doubles (w/Norrie).

Sixth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina also landed in De Minaur’s section and looms as a potential quarter-final opponent. The Spaniard turned heads on clay with a run to his first Grand Slam quarter-final at Roland Garros, but he will be contesting only his second tour-level main draw match on grass as he starts against a qualifier or lucky loser.

Big-serving Reilly Opelka, the fifth seed, and Queen’s Club finalist Cameron Norrie, the ninth seed, have also landed in the bottom half with De Minaur. Opelka awaits the winner of Marton Fucsovics and Aljaz Bedene in the second round, while Norrie starts against Aussie Alexei Popyrin in the first round. They could potentially meet in the quarter-finals.

[WATCH LIVE 2]

World No. 16 Gael Monfils is the top seed in Eastbourne, and he will await the winner between two qualifiers or lucky losers in the second round. The Frenchman reached his only grass-court final here in Eastbourne in 2017 (l. Djokovic), and will be seeking his 11th ATP Tour title.

He could meet third seed Lorenzo Sonego in the semi-finals. The No. 26-ranked Italian will be seeking his second tour-level title on grass after his 2019 victory in Antalya (d. Kecmanovic). After a bye, Sonego will face the winner of John Millman and wild card Jay Clarke in the second round.

Click Here To View Full Eastbourne Singles Draw.

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Humbert Earns Felix Revenge To Reach Halle Final

  • Posted: Jun 19, 2021

Another day, another nail-biting three-set battle for a surging Ugo Humbert in Halle. The 22-year-old Frenchman fought past Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5) on Saturday to reach his first ATP 500 final at the NOVENTI OPEN.

Humbert has been made to work all week long, with all of his matches in Halle going the distance and to at least one tie-break set in each as he took down Sam Querrey, third seed Alexander Zverev and Sebastian Korda to book his second battle in as many weeks against Auger-Aliassime.

Last week in Stuttgart, it was Auger-Alisassime who triumphed after a tight 7-6(5), 7-6(8) victory on his way to the MercedesCup final (l. to Cilic). But Humbert turned the tables in Halle to improve to 2-1 in his ATP Head2Head against the Canadian, with all three of their matches taking place on grass courts.

“It was an amazing match from both of us, but it was very tough physically and mentally,” Humbert said in an on-court interview. “I’m very proud to win this match, it was exceptional.

“It gives me a lot of confidence [winning matches like this], and when you win some matches 7-6 two times in the third set.”

Humbert will take on fourth seed Andrey Rublev in the final as he seeks the biggest title of his career. The Frenchman owns two ATP Tour titles and a perfect 2-0 record in finals, both coming at the ATP 250 level at Antwerp and Auckland last year. His opponent, Rublev, owns four ATP 500 titles (4-1 in those finals) and leads the Tour with 74 victories in 2020-21. Rublev won their only previous tour-level meeting last year in St. Petersburg.

At the OWL Arena in Halle, Humbert wasted no time as he recovered from an early break and  raced ahead in the first set. The Frenchman’s relentless attack took time away from Auger-Aliassime, leaving him on the defensive and struggling to handle his opponent’s pace.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

The Frenchman had break points for a 4-1 lead in the second set, but Auger-Aliassime raised his level and cut down on his unforced errors as he settled into the contest. He reeled off the last five games in a row to take the set and level the score, and he looked to be in complete control as he created five break opportunities across two of Humbert’s service games late in the third set.

But Humbert refused to drop his serve as he stayed toe-to-toe with Auger-Aliassime, rushing to net regularly where he won 10 of 13 points played. The #NextGenATP Canadian fired his 12th ace of the match (14 in total) to save a match point at 4-5 to take them into a tie-break, and saved two more with big first serves. Humbert stayed focussed, firing a big first serve of his own to earn a forehand return long to seal the victory.

The Frenchman improved to 13-13 on the season with the win, and extended his career grass-court win rate to 12-5. 

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