OEIRAS/STARNBERG, January 12, 2024
Swiss youngster Leandro Riedi has reached the singles final of the Indoor Oeiras Open 2. The 21-year-old knocked out last week’s Oeiras Open 1 finalist and home favourite Gastao Elias 6-3, 6-3 in the stage of the last four on Friday.
Eighth-seeded Riedi won 78 per cent of his first-service points and broke his rival three times to secure victory in one hour and 24 minutes.
Leandro Riedi denies Gastão Elias a second straight @ATPChallenger final on home soil, beating the Portuguese 6-3, 6-3 to join Martin Damm in the final of the #IndoorOeirasOpen II.
It will be his 6th final at this level (3-2 so far). pic.twitter.com/tyqn4kxTE8
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) January 12, 2024
“There were several decisive moments that could have gone his way,” said Riedi. “At the beginning of the second set, there was a 15-40 in the second game where if I had made a mistake, suddenly it would have been 2-0, and the momentum would have been with him. I was better in crucial moments, and I am very happy with how I dealt with the pressure.”
The World No. 320 is seeking his third ATP Challenger Tour career crown following his triumphs in 2022 in Helsinki, Finland and Andria, Italy.
Damm downs Copil
Earlier in the day, Martin Damm fought past Romanian qualifier Marius Copil 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-5 to reach his first championship match on the Challenger Circuit. The No. 6 seed of the ATP Challenger Tour 75 tournament being held at the Complexo de Tenis do Jamor in Oeiras, Portugal, fired 16 aces, saved the only break point he faced and capitalized on two of his own three break-point opportunities to advance in two hours and 11 minutes.
The 20-year-old US-American, a winner of five titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour, could lift his maiden Challenger trophy. Riedi and Damm will meet for the first time.
