That did not take long. #NextGen star Hyeon Chung is back with a vengeance after missing four months with an abdominal injury. A week after reaching the final in Nanchang, China, the 20 year old lifted his sixth ATP Challenger Tour title on Sunday with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Duckhee Lee at the OEC Kaohsiung Challenger in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Despite lasting just 75 minutes, the final was highly significant for both the growth of tennis in Asia and the continued rise of the Next Generation of ATP stars. Chung, 20, and Lee, 18, provided the first final between Koreans in Challenger history, with the elder countryman successfully defending his title. The second player to retain a Challenger title this year, joining Facundo Bagnis (Santiago), World No. 132 Chung is continuing his push towards a Top 100 return in the Emirates ATP Rankings.
"I am so happy to be back competing after missing most of the summer due to injury and be able to defend my title here in Kaohsiung," Chung told ATPWorldTour.com. "It is a great event and I really like playing here.
"It was a hard week with lots of tough matches including today against Duckhee, who I know very well. I am happy for him to reach his first Challenger final and it was an honour to play in an all-Korean final. I am looking forward to the rest of the Asian swing and will do my best to finish the year strong."
Watch the winning moment in #Kaohsiung, as Hyeon #Chung retains the title with a straight-set victory over Duckhee #Lee. #ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/3iJsr0iE6s
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 25, 2016
Chung is the 12th #NextGen winner on the ATP Challenger Tour this year, while Lee, who was appearing in his first final, was bidding to become the ninth teenage titlist. Teens are now 8-8 in finals in 2016.
Columbus Challenger (Columbus, U.S.A.): Ohio State University junior Mikael Torpegaard completed a fairytale week on his home campus, streaking to his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title on Sunday. The 22 year old notched his first victory over a Top 100 opponent with a rollercoaster 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 win over Benjamin Becker in the final.
The win was even more remarkable considering Torpegaard was competing in his first main draw on the Challenger circuit. The first Dane to lift a trophy since Kristian Pless in Saint-Brieuc, France in 2007, he is just the sixth player from his country to win a Challenger title overall. Torpegaard is also the second player to win in his Challenger debut this year, joining fellow Scandinavian player Casper Ruud of Norway.
"To win it is unbelievable," said Torpegaard, who was the third-lowest ranked winner this year at World No. 642. "It's just a really good feeling. I came into the tournament as the underdog on paper in every match, but I believed in myself and went in wanting to have some fun and figure out my level to beat these guys.
"I definitely take that I can perform at this level and I'm happy to figure that out this week. It looks more realistic to be a professional after college."
Sibiu Open (Sibiu, Romania): Robin Haase claimed his 13th ATP Challenger Tour title on Sunday in Sibiu, downing Italy's Lorenzo Giustino 7-6(2), 6-2. Top seed and World No. 65 Haase did not face a seeded opponent all week in notching his second victory of the season. Also the champion on home soil in Scheveningen, he is the 25th player to win multiple titles this year.
The feel-good story of the tournament belonged to Tim Puetz, as the 28-year-old German reached the semi-finals in his first main draw in exactly one year following knee surgery. He also won the doubles title alongside Haase.
TEB Izmir Cup (Izmir, Turkey): It was a week of firsts on the ATP Challenger Tour: the first all-Korean final in Kaohsiung and the first all-Turkish final in Izmir. Former World No. 77 Marsel Ilhan added a fourth Challenger title with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over countryman Cem Ilkel on Sunday. Wild card Ilkel had never reached a quarter-final entering the week.
— Marsel Ilhan (@MarselTennisTR) September 25, 2016
Campeonato Internacional de Tenis de Santos (Santos, Brazil): The tournament in Santos took on an Argentine and Brazilian flair, with all but three players in the main draw hailing from the two South American nations. Renzo Olivo emerged in a waterlogged finish, which saw the 24 year old lift his first ATP Challenger Tour trophy after playing two matches on Sunday. He defeated Thiago Monteiro 6-4, 7-6(5).
Campeon en Santos ⚫️ pic.twitter.com/jlFvtkXEAf
— renzo olivo (@renzolii) September 26, 2016
Morocco Tennis Tour - Kenitra (Kenitra, Morocco): Maximilian Marterer proved to be the king of the Moroccan swing, sweeping both events in Meknes and Kenitra. The 21-year-old German soared to a career-high No. 170 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, downing Mohamed Safwat 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday. Safwat was just the second Egyptian to contest a Challenger final, joining Tamer El Sawy.
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