Fritz Claims Third Title; Youzhny’s Resurgence Continues

  • Posted: Jan 11, 2016

Fritz Claims Third Title; Youzhny’s Resurgence Continues

Jan112016

Revisit the week that was on the ATP Challenger Tour as we applaud the achievements of those on the rise and look ahead to who’s in action in the week to come

A LOOK BACK
City of Onkaparinga ATP Challenger (Happy Valley, Australia): The meteoric rise of Taylor Fritz continued, with the 18-year-old American claiming his third ATP Challenger Tour title on the hard courts of Happy Valley. Fritz turned aside top seed Dudi Sela 7-6(7), 6-2 on Sunday, denying the Israeli veteran a historic 20th Challenger title. It marked the second straight year that an 18 year old had clinched his third crown, with Fritz joining Hyeon Chung. One of 10 teens in the Top 200 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, the Rancho Santa Fe native rises to a career-high position of World No. 153. He will seek his first Grand Slam main draw berth when he battles in Australian Open qualifying this week.

Watch Interview (video courtesy Tennis Australia)

Bangkok Open (Bangkok, Thailand): Third seed Mikhail Youzhny waited a record 15 years, five months from claiming his first ATP Challenger Tour title to lifting his second trophy in Eckental in early November. It seems the former World No. 8 has rediscovered his winning groove. Youzhny earned his second title in as many months, defeating Go Soeda 6-3, 6-4 in Bangkok. The 33-year-old Russian is now on the precipice of a return to the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, rising to World No. 106. Soeda, meanwhile, was bidding for his 18th Challenger title.

Challenger BNP Paribas Noumea (Noumea, New Caledonia): Top seed Adrian Mannarino streaked to his second Noumea title in four years, topping second seed and 2014 champion Alejandro Falla 5-7, 6-2, 6-2. It was Mannarino’s 11th ATP Challenger Tour title, extending his winning run in finals to six straight. He previously prevailed in Noumea in 2013 (d. Martin). The World No. 47 is coming off a career year, having reached his first ATP World Tour finals in Auckland and Bogota and first Round of 16 at a Masters 1000 event, in Indian Wells.

Torneo de Mendoza (Mendoza, Argentina): The lone event on clay was held in Mendoza, Argentina, where eighth seed Gerald Melzer rallied from a set and a break down to defeat Axel Michon 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the final. The Austrian reeled off 10 of the last 11 games to claim his second Challenger title, having previously triumphed on the hard courts of Morelos, Mexico two years ago. The highlight of Melzer’s 2015 season was a surprise run to the semi-finals at the ATP World Tour 250 event in Munich as a qualifier.

WHAT’S AHEAD
The Australian summer of tennis continues in Canberra, where nine Top 100 players are in the draw. In 2015, only five events featured all seeds in the Top 100. Paolo Lorenzi is the top seed, joined by Santiago Giraldo and ATP Challenger Tour Finals runner-up Daniel Munoz-de la Nava. Young guns Yoshihito Nishioka, Noah Rubin and Stefanos Tsitsipas are also present.

For the second straight week, Bangkok hosts an ATP Challenger Tour event, where top seed Mikhail Youzhny looks to go back-to-back. Also, on the clay of Buenos Aires, Gerald Melzer seeks a second title in as many weeks.

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ATP CHALLENGER TOUR ON TWITTER: New in 2016, the ATP Challenger Tour has launched a dedicated Twitter account for the latest news and information about players and events. Follow @ATPChallengerTour at twitter.com/ATPChallengerTour.

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