VALE DO LOBO/STARNBERG, March 16, 2025
George Loffhagen secured back-to-back titles, both on the indoor courts of the Faro Tennis and Padel Center.
Organized by the Portuguese Tennis Federation from March 9 to 16, the Vale do Lobo Open was the fifth ITF World Tennis Tour M25 event in a six-week series held in the Algarve, set to conclude next week in Loulé.
Playing his seventh match in as many days, Loffhagen (No. 478 ATP) defeated Tiago Pereira of Portugal (No. 505) 6-0, 7-5 in a final played across two sessions. The match began in Vale do Lobo, where the British player dominated the first set, utilizing his powerful serve and heavy forehand to take a commanding lead. Pereira, still recovering from an exhausting semi-final battle against Gastao Elias that lasted nearly five hours, struggled to keep up early on.
However, in the second set, the 20-year-old Portuguese player raised his game. He became more aggressive on returns and broke Loffhagen’s serve at 3-2, just as rain threatened to halt play. The British player managed to break back before the match was interrupted and later resumed indoors in Faro. The new conditions favored Loffhagen, who secured the decisive break to claim his second consecutive title.
George Loffhagen wins back to back ITF M25 titles in Portugal with both finals (Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo) being transfered indoors in Faro. 6-0, 7-5 against Tiago Pereira today. pic.twitter.com/dgBOfabUAL
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) March 16, 2025
Reflecting on his win, Loffhagen said, “It was a great two weeks despite the weather making things more difficult. I played a strong first set, but tennis is a game of small margins. In the second set, there were a few key moments that didn’t go my way, and he came back into the match. The rain delay changed the conditions significantly, but I adapted well and managed to get the crucial break to win.”
With this victory, Loffhagen secured his second title of the year and sixth overall—all in ITF World Tennis Tour M25 tournaments on hard courts. His success in the Algarve will propel him back into the Top 400, improving his ranking by approximately 100 places.
