TRENTO, March 4, 2017

The ITF Pro Circuit season in Italy has kicked off with the 13th edition of the $25,000 ATA Trentino, held on hard courts at the Ata Battisti Tennis Club in Trento. Yannick Yankovits emerged victorious from the all-French-encounter with seventh seed Gregoire Jacq, winning 7-5, 7-6 in Saturday’s first semi-finals match.

The tournament’s number eight capitalized on both of his two break points to reach his first singles title match of the season after one hour and 51 minutes.

“It was a special match today, as we won the doubles tournament here together yesterday,” Jankovits told Tennis TourTalk afterwards. “It is always difficult to play against a friend. It is a very fast surface here and he played very aggressive today. The two sets were very close but I was well prepared.”

Doubles finalists in Trento – photo: ATA Battisti

In Friday’s doubles final, the two top-seeded Frenchmen beat the all-German-combination of Johannes Haerteis and Nils Langer 6-2, 6-1. The encounter lasted only 46 minutes.

Jankovits captured three ITF Future titles last year and also played the qualifying of Roland Garros but fell in the opening round to German Daniel Brands. “I would like to compete in Wimbledon and at the US-Open as well. That’s my biggest goal and hardest challenge. I will keep working for that.” 

Matteo Viola

First of all, Jankovits will take on local qualifier Matteo Viola in Sunday’s final. The 29-year-old Italian knocked out second seed Laurynas Grigelis of Lithuania, winning 6-3, 7-6. Viola won 76 of the total 139 played to prevail in one hour and 28 minutes.

Jankovits and Viola will meet for the third time with the World No. 369 leading 2-0 in head-to-head records. Both matches took place in Israel last year and Jankovits did not drop a set.

Viola played his last final in Latina in November last year, finishing runner-up to Attila Balazs from Hungary. The final will start at 10am local time.