LOOK BACK
Open Citta Della Disfida (Barletta, Italy): Aljaz Bedene remains undefeated on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2017, having secured back-to-back titles this weekend.
The Brit moves to 15-0 for the season in Challenger matches after he navigated through the field in Barletta to oust top seed Gastao Elias 7-6(4), 6-3 and secure a tour-leading third title of the season.
Bedene’s third Barletta title (2011 and 2012) is projected to move him back into the Top 70 of the Emirates ATP Rankings.
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San Luis Open (San Luis Potosi, Mexico): Fifth seed Andrej Martin returned to the tour following a prolonged absence out with illness to clinch his first Challenger trophy since 2015.
Martin defeated the No. 1 seed Facundo Bagnis in the quarter-finals, before a 7-5, 6-4 win in Sunday’s showdown over Adrian Menendez-Maceiras gave the Slovakian his seventh Challenger title.
Serbian wildcard Miomir Kecmanovic produced an impressive run to the semi-finals (l. Menendez-Maceiras) in just his second main draw appearance at the Challenger level.
WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID
Bedene: “I am really pleased with the way I played the last two weeks. I have worked hard to get here. I am trying to stay disciplined through every match and that has brought me success on this level in 2017."
“I’m feeling fit and ready, so if I stay focused on the tasks I have to do, I will be back where I want to be.”
Martin: “I’m really happy to win five matches in a row because I’ve being had some health problems at the beginning of the year. It’s my first tournament after recovery and I’m so happy I could finish all the matches and go all the way through to winning the tournament."
"It feels great to be back feeling physically good. Obviously winning gives you confidence, hopefully I continue to play this good tennis and keep physically well."
Thanks to #SanLuisOpen organizers, fitness coach #MarosMolnar, my tennis coach #PeterMiklusicak and @TCEMPIRETrnava @EMPIRETennis Academy! pic.twitter.com/I9i3BA7ANw
— Andrej Martin (@AndrejMartinSVK) April 17, 2017
A LOOK AHEAD
A trio of events are scheduled on the ATP Challenger Tour this week. Bradenton, Florida hosts the $100,000 Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open on green clay.
Kei Nishikori (2010) and Nick Kyrgios (2014) are past champions at this event, which will host a quartet of #NextGenATP hopefuls looking to take the title. Top seed Jared Donaldson is joined by fellow Americans Frances Tiafoe, Michael Mmoh and Reilly Opelka. Also, 2016 runner-up Gerald Melzer (l. M.Zverev) returns to Florida along with his brother and former Top 10 player Jurgen Melzer.
Qingdao, China hosts the $125,000 International Challenger China 2017 Qingdao and Australian Jordan Thompson leads the clay-court field with reigning champion Janko Tipsarevic. #NextGenATP duo Quentin Halys and Alex De Minaur and Gianluigi Quinzi will also vie for valuable Emirates ATP Rankings points.
The $125,000 2017 Santaizi Challenger, played on carpet, welcomes former World No. 8 Marcos Baghdatis to Taipei, Taiwan. Konstantin Kravchuk, runner-up in 2015 and 2016, joins #NextGenATP players Akira Santillan and Duckhee Lee in the field.
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