Two French lefties won ATP Challenger Tour titles Sunday. Ugo Humbert defeated former US Open Dominic Thiem on home soil in Rennes to win his seventh Challenger title while Corentin Moutet triumphed at the Szczecin Challenger to claim his second Challenger title of the season (Lyon).

Players from France have now won 17 Challenger Tour titles this season, tying Argentina’s season-leading mark.

Humbert fended off all 21 break points faced this past week en route to capturing the Open Blot Rennes. In the championship match, the 24-year-old cruised to a comfortable 6-3, 6-0 victory over Thiem.

“I’m super happy, it was a very big match. A final is never easy, I managed to raise my level of play today,” Humbert said. “I couldn’t have hoped for better, I had been looking for this level for a long time. I managed to play well on the important points and I felt that I had managed to crack him. To finish the week like this is very strong. I worked hard to get to this level of play.”

The Frenchman has won his past nine finals at all levels, including the ATP 500 event in Halle in 2021 (d. Rublev), which propelled the lefty to a career-high No. 25 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. This week was Humbert’s first appearance in a final since claiming the title in Halle and his first Challenger final appearance since October 2019 (Brest).

Humbert, who holds three Tour-levels, began this season with a win over then-World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev at the season opening ATP Cup. This summer, he reached three straight Challenger semi-finals: Pozoblanco, Segovia, and Vancouver. Humbert’s title on home soil this week lifts him to No. 110 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

“The Challengers are so tough, over time I knew it was going to bring a smile to my face,” Humbert said. “In the end, it’s this week and in France, which makes it even better. I want to finish in the Top 100 and be on the table for a Grand Slam. When I play at this level, I can hope for better things.”

Thiem, 29, was competing in his third Challenger event of the year as he looks to return to form after suffering a wrist injury last season that forced him to miss nine months. In his semi-final match, he defeated top-seed Hugo Gaston 6-2, 7-5.

At the Peko Szczecin Open, Moutet claimed his sixth Challenger title, defeating Austrian Dennis Novak 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-4 in the final.

The 23-year-old arrived in Poland after reaching the fourth round of the US Open, where he lost to eventual finalist Casper Ruud in four sets. The title lifts the Frenchman to a career-high World No. 64.

Corentin Moutet claims his second Challenger title this season. Credit: Peko Szczecin Open

“I’m really happy to win here, especially today, it was a really hard match,” Moutet said. “Every time I’m playing against Dennis it is a hard fight, so I am really glad that I won this time. After the US Open, it is a good result for the first tournament on clay. I feel healthy and I still feel fresh for the next week.”

In the final, Moutet avenged his 2021 loss to Novak, who won in a three hour, 10 minute clash at the Orleans Challenger. It was another tight battle in Szczecin as the Frenchman held his nerve and converted 7/14 break points to triumph.

At the Atlantic Tire Championships in Cary, North Carolina, home favourite Michael Mmoh took down German Dominik Koepfer 7-5, 6-3 to capture his first Challenger title since 2019. The 24-year-old, who boasts six Challenger titles (all on home soil), rises to No. 133 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and sets his sights on a strong finish to the season.

“I have a gear I can work up towards, which is exciting, but I still played this match at a high level,” Mmoh said. “When the opportunities were there to be taken, I took them. Whoever changed direction first with a good ball was winning the point.

“At the beginning of this year, I said my goal was to finish Top 100. After this event and the momentum I have, that goal is still alive.”

American Michael Mmoh claims the Cary Challenger. Credit: Atlantic Tire Championships

Mmoh, who won the Tallahassee Challenger in April and reached the semi-finals in Cleveland and Malaga, reached a career-high World No. 96 in October 2018 after collecting back-to-back titles in Columbus, Ohio and Tiburon, California.

Moldova’s Radu Albot needed just 66 minutes to defeat Lukas Rosol 6-2, 6-0, winning 21/23 points off his first delivery to win the Istanbul Challenger TED Open.

Radu Albot captures the title in Istanbul, Turkey. Credit: Istanbul Challenger TED Open

Albot, seeded second, claimed his ninth Challenger title and his first this season. In 2019, the 32-year-old earned a personal-best 31 Tour-level wins, including his first ATP Tour title at Delray Beach (d. Evans, saving 3 MPs), and climbed to a career-high No. 39 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Rosol ousted top-seeded Australian James Duckworth in the first round and didn’t drop a set en route to the final in Turkey.

For more than two decades, Roger Federer has enthralled fans with his play, personality, and superior fashion sense. His style has evolved from his long-haired teenage years to the detail-orientated, meticulously put together icon of modern day.

Though Wimbledon made expressing fashion a unique challenge with the white dress code, Federer rose to the occasion time and time again, managing to make his warm-up outfits as resplendent as his tuxedos for the champion’s ball (a celebration he starred in eight times). At the US Open, he appropriately went for bold, loud looks to rev up the New York crowds, while at Roland Garros he counterbalanced the red background by donning blue and neutral hues. At the Australian Open, where he won six times, he stayed effortlessly cool and chic in the sweltering heat every year.

Off the court, the Swiss has been a regular at the front rows of fashion shows and on best dressed lists alike. When Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Magazine, was asked about her favourite looks at New York Fashion Week in 2007, she famously declared, “Anything that Roger wears!”

In honour of the 20-time Grand Slam champion’s decorated career, let’s take a journey through his most memorable looks.

Wimbledon 2006
On his way to winning his fourth Wimbledon trophy in a row, Federer made a fashion statement with a cream jacket more appropriate for a black-tie gala than a tennis court. He donned the perfectly tailored outerwear for the trophy ceremony with Rafael Nadal, all but breaking the internet.

Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

US Open 2007
While Wimbledon was strictly all white, Federer wasn’t afraid to go to the opposite extremes elsewhere. In New York on his way to the 2007 title, he put together an all-back kit that intimidated every opponent. The look included black socks, black shoes and black wristbands.

Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

New York Fashion Week 2007
Off the tennis court, Federer continued to cement his place as a fashion ace as a regular guest at New York Fashion Week. Joined by Mirka and Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, he was pictured here at Oscar de la Renta’s spring 2007 fashion show.

“I grew up enjoying Prada and Dolce & Gabbana. I love Dior and Louis Vuitton. I also have a lot of Tom Ford’s suits, so that’s kind of how I got into [fashion],” Federer later told Esquire. “And I was lucky enough to meet a lot of those designers as well through Anna Wintour, who is a really close friend of mine. And moving about in big cities and meeting people like Oscar de la Renta and talking to them about fashion. Meeting people from the art world, it’s been very inspiring.”

Photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images For IMG

Wimbledon 2008
After the suit jacket at the All-England Club came the cardigan with the finely stitched gold RF logo. Going for his sixth straight Wimbledon title, Federer was upset by Nadal in one of the best matches of the Open Era as the daylight hours waned on Centre Court.

Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Roland Garros 2009
Of course, the outfit Federer wore on his way to his first, and only, Roland Garros crown is going to be significant. Fitted in a baby blue collared shirt with dark blue trim and red detailing, Federer managed to finally raise the La Coupe des Mousquetaires with a win over Robin Soderling in the final.

Photo: LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images

Wimbledon 2009
Instead of slowing down his fashion risks, Federer took things up a notch in London with a full three-piece suit for his walk out onto the court. Despite being made up of multiple pieces, the loose-fitting ensemble looked comfortable and breezy as Federer made his way to a sixth Wimbledon title.
“I did feel a bit funny in the locker room with other players looking at me and going, ‘What’s he thinking?’” Federer recalled in Esquire. “But it brought some glam to tennis and some style and something to talk about other than just forehands and backhands. I’m really happy that I did it and that I took chances like that throughout my career.”

Photo: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images

Nitto ATP Finals 2010
Federer appeared in a bold red kit for his appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals in London in 2010. He’d beat rivals Novak Djokovic and Nadal in the semi-finals and final, respectively. The sleek look was classic Federer with attention to detail in his shoe accents and the pairing of a flattering bright red with a neutral gray.

Photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images

Australian Open 2013
Federer made splashes all over the globe during his career including with six titles at the Australian Open. He fell short in 2013 but left a resounding fashion statement with his pink-accented grey outfit. The pink detailing in the headband and shirt collar really brought the look together with the pink shoelaces making the biggest splash.

Photo: MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images

Academy Awards 2016
Not even arthroscopic knee surgery could hold Federer back as he rubbed elbows with the who’s who of Hollywood at the 88th Academy Awards in Los Angeles. Three weeks after his procedure, Federer looked every inch the movie star as he hit the red carpet in Louis Vuitton and mingled with newly crowned Oscar winner Leonardo Di Caprio, Anne Hathaway and more at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party later in the night.

Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Hopman Cup 2017
After taking six months off from the Tour, the world was eager to see Federer back in action at the Hopman Cup. For the traditional New Year’s Eve celebrations, the Swiss rocked a masterpiece of a tuxedo, complete with a sharp bowtie.

“I felt very uncomfortable in suits when I was younger, so what I just started doing was wearing suits whenever I went to dinner,” Federer told Tennis View Magazine in 2014. “I used to overdress a little bit that way but eventually I got used to wearing suits. And after a while I found that I really enjoyed buying and wearing beautiful clothing. Nowadays I’m as happy in a formal suit as a tracksuit!”

Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Australian Open 2017
The 39-year-old’s black-and-white patterned outfit for his march to Grand Slam No. 18 was most memorable because of the grandness of his feat. Having not won a major in five years and taking most of 2016 off, Federer stormed to the title as the most-adored underdog.

Photo: WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images

The Met Gala 2017
In 2017, Federer skipped the clay-court swing, stunning and worrying his many fans. He made the most of his time off by attending the Met Gala in New York for the very first time. No simple tuxedo would do for the Swiss as he rocked a Gucci cobra-adorned jacket.

Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly

US Open 2019
No news in the brand apparel world was more shocking than Federer leaving Nike in 2018 after more than 20 years for a new contract with Uniqlo. At the 2019 US Open, he proved that it wasn’t the company that made him so stylish, it was the man. He shined in a black outfit with thick, white trim.

Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

GQ Most Stylish Man Of The Decade (2010-2019)
Federer’s signature mix of effortless elegance and classic menswear has landed him on countless ‘Best Dressed’ lists over the years. At the end of 2019, he scored major fashion points after being voted GQ’s Most Stylish Man of The Decade.

“Roger has been dressing like a champ for the full decade,” GQ editors wrote. “At 38, he knows what it takes to show up and look good.”

Photo: Alexander Koerner/Getty Images

Federer has evolved over the years, on court and off it, and his fashion choices have reflected his growth and accomplishments perfectly.

Additional reporting by Stephanie Livaudais

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz ensured Spain advanced to the Davis Cup Finals knock-out stage on Sunday, when he defeated Soonwoo Kwon 6-4, 7-6(1) to move the former champion into a 2-0 lead against South Korea in Valencia.

View Davis Cup Scores | View Davis Cup Group Standings

The 19-year-old, who captured his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open last week, lost against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday. However, Alcaraz saved all three break points he faced against Kwon to bounce back after one hour and 49 minutes.

In the first match of the tie, Roberto Bautista Agut downed Seong-chan Hong 6-1, 6-3 in 73 minutes. The result sees Spain finish top in Group B, with Canada qualifying in second.

Germany Maintains Perfect Record
Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz delivered once again to secure Germany top spot in Group C with a perfect 3-0 record. Having won their previous two doubles rubbers, Krawietz and Puetz overcame Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell 6-4, 6-4 to clinch a 2-1 win for Germany against Australia.

In the opening clash of the tie, Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff downed Purcell 6-1, 7-5, before Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis defeated Oscar Otte 7-6(6), 6-1. The result means Germany qualifies in first and Australia advances in second.

Italy Defeats Sweden

Italy moved past Sweden 2-1 to finish top of Group A in Bologna. Matteo Berrettini defeated Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-4 to give the Italians a 1-0 lead before Mikael Ymer battled past Jannik Sinner 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to keep Sweden’s qualification chances alive.

However, Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli ended those hopes, defeating Andre Goransson and Dragos Nicolae Madaras 7-6(1), 6-2 in the deciding doubles match. Italy finishes the group in top spot, holding a 3-0 record. Sweden misses out on qualification, placing third.

Great Britain Finishes With Win
Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski defeated Alexander Bublik and Aleksandr Nedovyesov 7-6(2), 6-7(9), 7-6(4) to ensure Great Britain finished Group D with a victory.

In the decisive match of the tie, Salisbury and Skupski saved all four break points and fired nine aces to secure the former champion a 2-1 win against Kazakhstan in a tie between two teams that were already eliminated. In the first match, Andy Murray cruised past Dmitry Popko 6-4, 6-3. Alexander Bublik then downed Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-3 to level.

The Netherlands and the United States had already secured qualification from Group D in Glasgow on Saturday.

What is the format for the 2022 Davis Cup Finals?
The group stage of the 2022 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals will take place across four cities — Bologna, Glasgow, Hamburg and Valencia — from 13-18 September. The 16 nations will compete in four round-robin groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knock-out stage. The knock-out stage will take place in Malaga from 22-27 November.

Less than two months before the Nitto ATP Finals, tennis is already in the spotlight in Turin. In preparation for the year-end event, to be held at the Pala Alpitour stadium from 13-20 November, six parks and iconic locations will be the venues for “Tennis in Piazza” during September and October.

Organised by the Italian Tennis Federation in collaboration with the Municipality of Turin and the Piedmont Regional Schools Directorate, this activation will span across six different events and invites members of the public to familiarise themselves with a sport that is experiencing a moment of extraordinary popularity in Italy.

Following the success of the 2021 edition of “Tennis in Piazza”, this year’s event returns with an avant-garde setup, keeping with the style of the Nitto ATP Finals. Each venue will have a 10×16-metre court, with teachers and supervisors from the Istituto Superiore di Formazione “Roberto Lombardi” (ISF) on hand to assist children and young aspiring players as well as adolescents and adults who want to take the first step toward learning the sport of tennis. Thanks to the collaboration between the ISF, the City of Turin and the Schools Directorate of Piedmont, this initiative has already seen 30 schools confirm their participation.

This year, “Tennis in Piazza” will also offer participants the opportunity to practise another racket sport: table tennis. Next to each tennis court, a further four playing areas will be set up with reduced-size tables specially designed for players in the preliminary stages of the sport. This activation was made possible by the support of technical experts of the Federation and in collaboration with the Piedmont Regional Committee and the Italian Table Tennis Federation.

Each of the six events of the 2022 edition of “Tennis in Piazza” will be organised over three days, from Friday through Sunday. The first day will be dedicated to children from primary schools, the second day to secondary-school students, and the third day to adolescents and adults of any age.

The series, with the patronage of the Municipality of Turin, will start the week 16 September at Parco del Valentino and will continue with the following calendar:

23 – 25 September: Parco Ruffini
30 September – 2 October: Piazza d’Armi 
7 – 9 October: Parco della Confluenza
14 – 16 October: Parco Dora
28 – 30 October: Piazza Castello

Botic van de Zandschulp and Tallon Griekspoor earned singles wins for the Netherlands against the United States on Saturday to secure the Dutch team the top spot in Group D with a perfect 3-0 record.

Competing in Glasgow, van de Zandschulp scored his third singles win in as many ties with a 6-4, 7-6(3) result against World No. 13 Taylor Fritz. The Dutchman broke in the ninth game of the opening set before serving it out and breaking to open set two. Fritz would level in the second, but his comeback bid ended in the tie-break.

“We’ve had an amazing week together,” Van de Zandschulp said post-match. “Not everyone expected we would be No. 1, but we played some great tennis. I played to a really good level this week. The last couple of months I’ve had difficulty finding my level and I think it’s coming back.”

The 26-year-old’s victory clinched the tie for the Netherlands after Griekspoor’s 7-5, 7-6(3) win against Tommy Paul opened Saturday’s play. Griekspoor recorded two singles wins in three matches in Group D. In the dead doubles rubber, Rajeev Ram and Jack Sock put Team USA on the board with a 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 win against Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop.

Despite the defeat, the United States advances to the quarter-final stage with a 2-1 record, good enough for second place in the group.

Coric, Gojo Keep Croatian Hopes Alive With Victory Against Argentina
Borna Coric and Borna Gojo notched Saturday singles wins against Argentina to finalise Croatia’s record at 2-1 with one more Group A tie to play on Sunday. After Gojo downed Sebastian Baez 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, Cincinnati champ Coric scored a 6-4, 7-6(6) win against Francisco Cerundolo to clinch victory. 

Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic made it a clean sweep for the Croatians with a 6-2, 7-5 doubles win against Maximo Gonzalez and Horacio Zeballos.

Croatia now sits second in Group A at 2-1, with a 5-4 match record. If Sweden (currently 1-1, with a 3-3 match record) defeats group-leaders Italy (2-0, 5-1) on Sunday, it would lead to a three-way tie atop the group, forcing tiebreak scenarios to determine which two teams advance to the quarter-finals.

Canada Clinches Progress Despite Defeat Against Serbia
One day after defeating world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in a victory for Team Canada against Spain, Felix Auger-Aliassime clinched his nation’s place in the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Miomir Kecmanovic.

Serbia’s Laslo Djere defeated Gabriel Diallo in the opening singles match, before Serbia claimed the doubles point — and the tie — via an early retirement. 

Both Canada and Serbia finish Group B play at 2-1, but Canada’s superior 5-4 match record ensures a top-two finish in Valencia. A victory for Spain on Sunday against South Korea would see the host nation advance as group-winners, knocking Serbia out of the Finals. Spain would be eliminated with a loss.

France Tops Belgium For Consolation Victory
In a decisive doubles rubber, Nicolas Mahut and Arthur Rinderknech defeated Belgium’s Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, 6-3, 7-6(6) to give France its first tie victory following tight defeats against Germany and Australia. Richard Gasquet earned France a singles point with a 6-3, 6-3 win against Michael Geerts, before David Goffin put Belgium on the board with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 decision against Benjamin Bonzi. 

The result sees France finish in third place in Group C, with undefeated nations Australia and Germany set to compete on Sunday for the top spot. Both Australia and Germany have already clnched progress to the quarter-final stage.

What is the format for the 2022 Davis Cup Finals?
The group stage of the 2022 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals will take place across four cities — Bologna, Glasgow, Hamburg and Valencia — from 13-18 September. The 16 nations will compete in four round-robin groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knock-out stage. The knock-out stage will take place in Malaga from 22-27 November.