PRAGUE/STARNBERG, August 26, 2023
Rudolf Molleker has clinched his second ATP Challenger Tour title following his maiden triumph on home soil at the 2018 Neckarcup in Heilbronn. The 22-year-old German won the 2023 IBG Prague Open by Moneta Money Bank held at the TK Spoje. Molleker defeated 17-year-old French qualifier Gabriel Debru, who claimed last year’s French Open’s boys single title, 6-2, 6-2 in Saturday’s final.
Molleker, No. 4 seed of the €36,000 clay-court event, fought his way into the championship match with wins in the bottom half of the draw over Czech veteran Lukas Rosol, Maxime Chazal of France, Federico Agustin Gomez from Argentina and eighth seed Valentin Vacherot from Monaco.
Molleker broke Debru’s serve three times and won 59 per cent of the total points played to seal victory in one hour and 16 minutes.
Rudolf Molleker was on fire in Prague 🔥
The 🇩🇪 did not drop a set all week!@rudimollo | #ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/RTauKIrWJX
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) August 26, 2023
The World No. 263, who didn’t drop a set all week in the Czech Republic, earned €4,910 in prize money as well as 50 ATP Ranking points.
The title win in Prague marked Molleker’s second triumph of the season after lifting the trophy at the ITF World Tennis Tour M25 event in Bodrum, Turkey in May.
