MANACOR/STARNBERG, September 2, 2023
The ATP Challenger Tour is back in Manacor, Mallorca for the fifth edition of the Rafa Nadal Open by Movistar. The largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, with its picturesque landscapes and warm climate, provides the perfect setting for this highly competitive event. The hard-court tournament is being held at the Rafa Nadal Academy and offers a total prize money of €73,000.
Frenchman Harold Mayot and Hamad Medjedovic of Serbia will compete in Sunday’s singles final. Mayot defeated qualifier Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina 7-5, 7-5 in the stage of the last four on Saturday. The No. 7 seed, who beat Israeli qualifier Daniel Cukierman, Portuguese alternate Joao Sousa and Nick Hardt from the Dominican Republic in the previous rounds, fired 10 aces and won 74 per cent of his first-service points to prevail after one hour and 42 minutes.
Medjedovic edged past home favourite Daniel Rincon 6-3, 6-2. The second favourite knocked off Nicolas Mejia of Ecuador, Frenchman Laurent Lokoli and fifth-seeded Italian Mattia Bellucci en route to the semi-finals. Medjedovic saved both break points and broke Rincon’s serve three times to advance in one hour and five minutes.
THIRD Challenger final of the year 💪@MedjedovicHamad seals his spot in the championship match in Mallorca with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Rincon#ATPChallenger | @rnadalacademy pic.twitter.com/CzNchHO0g1
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 2, 2023
“I am very happy that I reached my third final of the year and I am glad for all of your support. Hope to see you tomorrow,” Medjedovic said in a video message.
The 21-year-old Mayot, a winner of two ITF World Tennis Tour events, is seeking his first ATP Challenger Tour career crown. Medjedovic, 20, could lift his fourth Challenger trophy, his third of the season following his triumphs in Szekesfehervar, Hungary and Mauthausen, Austria. Mayot won the only previous meeting between the two at an ITF World Tennis Tour M25 event in Monastir, Tunisia last year.
Cukierman/Paris triumph in doubles
In other action, Daniel Cukierman and Briton Joshua Paris captured the doubles title. The pair upset No. 4 seeds N. Sriram Balaji and Ramkumar Ramanathan of India 6-4, 6-4 in the final. By winning their first Challenger team title, Cukierman and Paris split €4,250 in prize money and earned 75 ATP Doubles Ranking points.
