A LOOK BACK Oracle Challenger Series Newport Beach (Newport Beach, California, USA): Taylor Fritz couldn't have dreamt of a better start to the year. Just three weeks after kicking off 2018 with a final run at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Noumea, the #NextGenATP American went one step further on Sunday in Newport Beach. Fritz lifted a trophy for the first time in two years, rallying past countryman Bradley Klahn 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 in one hour and 35 minutes. The 20-year-old is not only up to No. 76 in the ATP Rankings, his highest position in more than a year, but the California native also moves to third in the ATP Race To Milan. On the rise once again,...
A LOOK BACK East Hotel Canberra Challenger (Canberra, Australia): Australia has been a home away from home for Italian veteran Andreas Seppi. A trio of Round of 16 appearances at the Australian Open included upsets of Marin Cilic in 2013, Roger Federer in 2015 and Nick Kyrgios in 2017. The 33-year-old's success Down Under has continued in 2018, picking up his eighth ATP Challenger Tour title on Saturday in Canberra. It was his first title at any level since 2014, when he won on home soil in Ortisei. Seppi overcame sixth seed Marton Fucsovics 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the final and is primed for another run into the second week at Melbourne Park. He will open the first Grand Slam of...
A LOOK BACK Internationaux BNP Paribas (Noumea, New Caledonia): Noah Rubin will be the first to admit that 2017 was a struggle, having missed nearly four months due to a sprained right wrist and bone bruise. Playing the best tennis of his young career, the 21-year-old was coming off a second round meeting with Roger Federer at the Australian Open and ATP Challenger Tour title in nearby Launceston when he sustained the injury. Rubin would conclude the season outside the Top 200 and was in search of a much-needed confidence boost as 2018 got underway. It did not take long for the New York native to find exactly that. A third Challenger crown would jump start his campaign, dropping just...
A LOOK BACK EA Hua Hin Open Challenger (Hua Hin, Thailand): One of the biggest storylines of the year has been the success of players returning from injury. Filip Krajinovic, Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, Matthew Ebden and Nicolas Jarry all stole the headlines with impressive ATP Challenger Tour campaigns. Add John Millman to that list. The Aussie claimed his first Challenger crown in two years, and ninth of his career, with a ruthless run to the title in Hua Hin. Millman did not drop a set all week, including a 6-2, 6-2 victory in the final over countryman Andrew Whittington. Former World No. 60 Millman is on the rise after returning to the circuit in May, following groin surgery at the start...
A LOOK BACK Movistar Open by Cachantun (Santiago, Chile): Competing in your hometown, with friends and family in attendance, is often one of the biggest thrills for a professional tennis player. It's no wonder Nicolas Jarry was speechless as he stood on Center Court at the Club de Polo y Equitación San Cristobal, with the trophy firmly wrapped in his arms. Jarry claimed his third ATP Challenger Tour title of the year and first on home soil, downing Marcelo Arevalo 6-1, 7-5 in Saturday's final in Santiago. The 22-year-old Chilean did not drop a set all week, becoming the 12th player to lift three or more trophies in 2017. He has found great success on the South American clay, adding...
