Two consecutive weeks on the ATP World Tour has yielded back-to-back titles for the fast-charging #NextGen contingent, as Karen Khachanov clinched his first title on Sunday at the Chengdu Open.
The 20-year-old Russian is projected to soar nearly 50 spots in the Emirates ATP Rankings to a career-high No. 55, after rallying past Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-3 in Chengdu. Khachanov follows in the footsteps of German teen Alexander Zverev, last week's champion in St. Petersburg, as first-time #NextGen winners. He is the third in total this year, with Nick Kyrgios prevailing in both Marseille and Atlanta.
With his arms raised in triumph after two hours and 39 minutes, Khachanov secured the title when a Ramos-Vinolas forehand sailed long. The Galo Blanco pupil fired 14 aces, while converting three of nine break chances. It marks his fourth victory over a seeded opponent this week, having toppled No. 7 Joao Sousa, No. 4 Feliciano Lopez in the quarter-finals and No. 6 Viktor Troicki on Saturday.
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"I can't believe I won my first title," said Khachanov. "I am very happy. I have been working hard and I am happy to achieve my first goal.
"In the second, I was thinking to win the set and keep fighting. I was playing against a guy much higher-ranked than me, so I just have to focus on every goal and keep going. You cannot lose focus and be relaxed. I was just pushing myself to the limit and I got the second set and then the third.
"At this level, all the players are really tough. To win the tournament, I have to beat all the guys. Obviously today is the final and that makes it the toughest match."
Outside Top 100 Winners In 2016
|
Player |
Tournament |
Emirates ATP Ranking |
| Florian Mayer |
Halle |
No. 192 |
| Juan Monaco |
Houston |
No. 148 |
|
Karen Khachanov |
Chengdu |
No. 101 |
Khachanov is the ninth first-time winner on the ATP World Tour this year and just the third to prevail while residing outside the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings. The World No. 101 improves to 2-1 in his FedEx ATP Head2Head against Ramos-Vinolas, avenging a three-set defeat in Istanbul earlier this year. He earns 250 Emirates ATP Rankings points and $148,860 in prize money.
The Moscow native, who made his Top 100 debut on 6 June, a month after lifting his second ATP Challenger Tour trophy in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, is also the fourth player to win on both the ATP World Tour and Challenger circuit this year. Paolo Lorenzi, Florian Mayer and Diego Schwartzman have also achieved the feat.
Ramos-Vinolas, meanwhile, was bidding to become the 10th Spanish champion on the ATP World Tour this year. He lifted his first trophy on the clay of Bastad (d. Verdasco) in July. The 28 year old, who takes home 150 Emirates ATP Rankings points and $78,400 in prize money, had claimed his second Top 10 win of the year with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Dominic Thiem on Friday.
"I fought as much as I could," said Ramos-Vinolas. "And I think I didn't play bad. I can play better but he played so well and what can I say, I'm not happy but maybe I'll be happy tomorrow. It was not so good today, but also he was serving so well and so fast. That's why I didn't return so well."