In what was the biggest final of both players’ careers, Mirza Basic overcame the seismic serving of Marius Copil to win 7-6(6), 6-7(4), 6-4 and lift his first-ever ATP World Tour singles trophy at the DIEMA XTRA Sofia Open. The title makes No.129-ranked Basic the season’s second first-time ATP World Tour titlist after Daniil Medvedev claimed the crown in Sydney last month, and the 26 year old becomes the second player from Bosnia and Herzegovina to win a tour-level title, following compatriot Damir Dzumhur, a two-time titlist last season. Additionally, Basic becomes the first qualifier to win a title at the tour level since Peter Gojowczyk in Metz last season. The DIEMA XTRA Sofia Open has been a breakthrough tournament...
Robin Haase and Matwe Middelkoop are doubles champions once again this season, claiming a 5-7, 6-4, 10-4 victory over Nikola Mektic and Alexander Peya at the DIEMA XTRA Sofia Open. The Dutchmen, who earlier this season claimed their first title together in Pune (d. Herbert/Simon), overcame their opponents in just one hour, 13 minutes. Despite winning the same amount of total points as Mektic and Peya, Haase and Middelkoop were better in the bigger moments, saving seven of nine break points faced and converting on two of five break points themselves. "Of course it doesn't happen often that you win titles, especially in the same city," said Middelkoop, the 2016 champion with Wesley Koolhof. "Sofia is a special one and...
For the third time in 10 months, Lucas Pouille has saved match points en route to an ATP World Tour title. The 23-year-old overcame three-time champion Richard Gasquet 7-6(2), 6-4 at the Open Sud de France to win his fifth tour-level title on Sunday. Pouille saved two match points at 1-6, 3-5 against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Saturday’s second semi-final before his compatriot was forced to retire with a left hamstring injury. The World No. 17 seized his opportunity in the final with a fine serving performance, scoring an impressive 87-minute win over Gasquet to lift his second title on home soil (Metz, 2016). "I'm very happy with the win today," said Pouille. "Obviously it was a tough match. Richard is...
Nicolas Jarry and Hans Podlipnik-Castillo are the men’s doubles champions in Quito following a 7-6(6), 6-3 victory over Austin Krajicek and Jackson Withrow in just over an hour of play. For their victory in the Ecuadorian capital, Jarry and Podlipnik-Castillo add 250 points to their ATP Ranking and share $27,170 in prize money. The Ecuador Open marks the first ATP World Tour title in either singles or doubles for the Chilean duo, with Podlipnik-Castillo reaching just one other doubles final (2017 Kitzbuhel w/Vasilevski) and Jarry only one match win in doubles, a round-of-16 victory in Vina del Mar with Christian Garin. [ALSO LIKE] Jarry and Podlipnik-Castillo were dominant on serve all match, winning 91 per cent of their first serves...
Roger Federer added another chapter to his phenomenal career on Sunday when the Swiss superstar captured his 20th Grand Slam championship crown to retain his Australian Open title with a thrilling 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Marin Cilic in the night-time final. Twelve months on from beating Rafael Nadal in a pulsating five-set final, the 36-year-old once again drew upon his great skill and ingenuity to build upon his legacy as the greatest player in tennis history by winning a record-equalling sixth Australian Open crown (with Roy Emerson and Novak Djokovic), coming through a draw that respected observers thought would be problematic. "I'm so happy, it's unbelievable,” said an emotional Federer, with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup trophy...
