After experiencing a number of highs and lows in 2022, Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo bought off to a quick begin this yr on house soil on the season-opening Tigre Challenger.
The 21-year-old lately battled leg and hip accidents which pressured him to take break day. When the lefty was in a position to play tournaments persistently within the latter a part of 2022, he made a sudden affect as he triumphed on the Buenos Aires and Coquimbo Challengers. Cerundolo, who has gained 19 of his previous 22 matches, picked up proper the place he completed the earlier season.
Cerundolo, seeded first, rallied from a set down in Sunday’s ultimate to defeat Bolivian Murkel Dellien 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 and declare the Challenger Aysa de Tigre-1.
Juan Manuel Cerundolo is topped champion on the 2023 Tigre-1 Challenger. Credit: Asociación Argentina de Tenis
“I really feel actually good about this week,” Cerundolo mentioned. “I believe I had a tremendous degree, and tried to play offensive. The ultimate was tremendous powerful coming from a set down, however I managed to show it over. I’m actually completely satisfied.”
At the Oeiras Indoor-1 Challenger in Portugal, Joris De Loore superior by qualifying en path to amassing his maiden Challenger trophy. The Belgian took down Romanian Filip Cristian Jianu 6-3, 6-2 within the championship match.
De Loore is the oldest (29 years, 8 months) first-time winner since 2015, when Italian Luca Vanni gained his maiden title at 31. The Bruges native has been plagued with accidents all through his profession, together with lacking your complete 2019 and 2020 seasons following a number of surgical procedures. The 29-year-old’s persistence paid off this week when he gained the Challenger 50 occasion.
Joris De Loore earns his first Challenger title in Oeiras, Portugal. Credit: FPT/Sara Falcao
“Over the previous seven years, yearly I had a surgical procedure,” De Loore mentioned. “This [the title] will give me a lift, I actually really feel that I’m bodily good now and now it’s nearly staying wholesome. I believe this yr could be my yr.”
In Canberra, Australia, Marton Fucsovics collected his second Challenger title prior to now three months. The Hungarian defeated Swiss teenager Leandro Riedi 7-5, 6-4 within the ultimate on the P2 Advisory Canberra International.
“It’s an excellent, nice begin of the yr. Cannot want for a greater week,” Fucsovics mentioned. “I used to be very focussed on every match and I felt very sturdy bodily. I believe it will assist me sooner or later and particularly on the Australian Open.”
Marton Fucsovics in motion on the 2023 Canberra Challenger. Credit: Anastasia Kachalkova
Fucsovics, 30, has performed a few of his finest tennis in Australia. The six-time Challenger champion has gained 13 of his previous 14 matches and can subsequent search for one other sturdy run on the season’s first Slam. The World No. 74 within the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings has twice reached the fourth spherical on the Australian Open (2018, 2020) earlier than shedding to Roger Federer on each events.
Saturday’s Canberra ultimate marked the top of Riedi’s 16-match profitable streak. The 20-year-old went on a late-season surge in 2022, when he collected the title on the Helsinki and Andria Challengers.
In Thailand, second seed Dennis Novak earned his first Challenger title since November 2019 (Bratislava). The Austrian defeated Tung-Lin Wu 6-4, 6-4 within the ultimate to win the Bangkok Open-1.
“I performed a very good event,” Novak mentioned. “Lost just one set and felt actually good, I’d say it’s the proper begin to the season.”
The 29-year-old rises to 142 within the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings and retains his eyes set on his objective for the season: “to get again into the Top 100.”
On the island of New Caledonia, Raul Brancaccio fended off a championship level earlier than a four-hour rain delay to defeat Frenchman Laurent Lokoli 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 and win the Open SIFA Nouvelle-Caledonie.
After claiming his first Challenger title on house soil in July, the Italian had his again in opposition to the wall thrice this week in Noumea. Brancaccio dropped the opening set in his ultimate three matches of the week, together with comeback wins in opposition to former Top-20 gamers Benoit Paire and Cristian Garin, who was seeded first on the Challenger 100 occasion.
