PORTO/STARNBERG, September 1, 2024
Adrian Andreev clinched his first ATP Challenger Tour title by defeating Carlos Taberner of Spain in the final of the inaugural CT Porto Cup. The clay-court tournament, organized by the Portuguese Tennis Federation and the Clube de Tenis do Porto with the support of the Porto City Council, took place from August 25 to September 1.
The World No. 261 from Bulgaria dominated the No. 4 seed from Spain in Sunday’s championship match, winning 6-3, 6-0 in one hour and 47 minutes. After finishing runner-up at the Zadar Open in Croatia in March, Andreev secured his first maiden triumph on the Challenger Tour. He earned €10,200 in prize money as well as 75 ATP Ranking points.
Taberner entered the final with high expectations, having won nine consecutive matches and 13 of his last 14, all in August. However, the physical toll of the month’s matches showed, and Andreev capitalized on this to claim the title without dropping a set throughout the tournament.
The first set was crucial, as Andreev came back from a 3-1 deficit and saved five break points in the opening set. His aggressive play, especially during the return games, helped him to win 75 per cent of the points on Taberner’s second serve. He closed out the match by winning 11 consecutive games, securing his place in the top 200 of the ATP rankings.
ANDREEV GETS IT DONE 🔥
The Bulgarian secures his maiden Challenger title with a 6-3 6-0 win over Taberner in Porto 💪#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/08IkdpJN6q
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 1, 2024
“It’s very important to me, I feel wonderful. I really wanted to win a Challenger, and it’s great to do it here,” said Adreev, who is now heading to Italy, but leaves Portugal proud of what he described as “the biggest tournament I’ve ever won.”
The CT Porto Cup’s inaugural edition was a success, and there is optimism that the tournament will remain be part of the ATP Challenger calendar. Vasco Costa, president of the Portuguese Tennis Federation, highlighted the importance of securing a suitable date for future editions, aiming to maintain the high quality and positive feedback that the event received.
