Klizan Claims Indian Wells Challenger Crown

  • Posted: Mar 05, 2018

Klizan Claims Indian Wells Challenger Crown

Mar052018

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
Oracle Challenger Series Indian Wells (Indian Wells, U.S.A.): Martin Klizan capped a sun-drenched week of tennis in paradise, taking the title at the inaugural Challenger in Indian Wells on Sunday. The Slovakian defeated Darian King 6-3, 6-3 to lift his first trophy in two years, since prevailing at the ATP World Tour 500 event in Hamburg in 2016. Klizan, a former World No. 24, is on the comeback trail after struggling with a left calf injury last year. He registered impressive wins over Sergiy Stakhovsky, Henri Laaksonen, Peter Polansky, Vasek Pospisil and King to take the $150,000 title.

A five-time ATP World Tour champion, Sunday’s victory was Klizan’s seventh ATP Challenger Tour crown. The left-hander rose 52 spots in the ATP Rankings to No. 129.

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Keio Challenger International Tennis Tournament (Yokohama, Japan): Yokohama celebrated its 13th edition with an all-Japanese final, as Yasutaka Uchiyama rallied past Tatsuma Ito 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday. The 25-year-old lifted his second ATP Challenger Tour trophy and first in one year, since triumphing in Kyoto in 2017. He soars 77 spots to No. 213 in the ATP Rankings.

Punta Open (Punta del Este, Uruguay): Argentina’s Guido Andreozzi stormed back to upset sixth seed Simone Bolelli 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the inaugural event in Punta del Este. Andreozzi claimed his fifth Challenger crown and first since 2016. He leaps 52 spots in the ATP Rankings to No. 193. The Buenos Aires native scored a trio of three-set wins during the week in the Uruguayan resort town.

A LOOK AHEAD
In Zhuhai, China, top seed Jordan Thompson opens with a blockbuster clash against Serbian teen Miomir Kecmanovic. Malek Jaziri is seeded second, with Di Wu and Zhe Li leading the home charge.

Defending champion Rogerio Dutra Silva returns to Santiago, Chile, as the third seed, while three-time former titlist Facundo Bagnis is unseeded. Gastao Elias leads the field at the $50,000 event.

ATP Challenger Tour 

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