GRODZISK MAZOWIECKI, August 17, 2024
Marc-Andrea Huesler ended his first week in Poland with a tournament victory, claiming the title at the Kozerki Open. The 28-year-old Swiss defeated top-seeded Czech Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-4 on a sunny and hot Saturday afternoon in Grodzisk Mazowiecki.
On his way to the final of the €74,825 ATP Challenger Tour hard court tournament, Huesler lost only one set, which came in the semifinals against Frenchman Antoine Escoffier. Ranked 205th in the world, Huesler dominated the final with his powerful serve, firing seven aces and winning 92 per cent of his first-service points. After one hour and 19 minutes of play, the sixth seed emerged victorious.
Marc-Andrea Huesler 🇨🇭 claims his sixth ATP Challenger career title, winning the final of the Kozerki Open 6-1 6-4 against Vit Kopriva. #ATPChallenger #Kozerki pic.twitter.com/TKR9uOigAR
— Florian Heer (@Florian_Heer) August 17, 2024
“Vit plays at a very high level. Even though the score might suggest an easy match, it was very close. If I hadn’t broken his serve in the second set, the match could have gone the other way,” Huesler admitted afterward. “He got better as the match went on and I faced several challenges. There were some nerves in the final service game, but overall, I’m very satisfied. I served well and mixed up my game nicely. I’m happy to have won the title.”
The victory at the Kozerki Open marks Huesler’s sixth ATP Challenger Tour career title, ending an almost two-year title drought. His last victory came in October 2022 when he claimed his first and only ATP Tour title at the Sofia Open in Bulgaria.
“A final is always special. You never know how many more you’ll have in your career,” noted Huesler, who earned €10,200 in prize money as well as 75 ATP ranking points. “Winning the title here wasn’t something I expected at the start of the week, and it feels great. I know I have the level, and now it’s about continuing to prove it.”
Was this the perfect preparation for the upcoming US Open? “We’ll see in three weeks,” Huesler replied with a smile. “I’ll be arriving in New York a bit later than planned, but the points from this week are helpful. I’ll go to the States with confidence.”
On Sunday afternoon, Huesler will fly from Warsaw to the U.S., where his coach Thiemo Scharfenberger is already waiting for him. Despite being only 30 kilometers from Warsaw’s city center, Huesler hasn’t had time to explore the Polish capital, as he spent the entire week on the grounds of the Kozerki Tennis Academy. “I’ve spent the week here at the facility—hotel, restaurant, gym—everything was here. But maybe I’ll get a chance to go into Warsaw for dinner tonight,” Huesler explained.
A fitting end to a successful first week in Poland indeed.
