SARASOTA, April 24, 2017

Frances Tiafoe clinched his third ATP Challenger career title, winning Sunday’s final of the $100,000 Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open held on green clay at the United Tennis Club in Bradenton.

The third seed emerged victorious from an all-US-American-final with Tennys Sandgren. Tiafoe won 6-3, 6-4, breaking his compatriot’s serve three times to prevail after one hour and 29 minutes.

“I have filled out. My body is definitely stronger. I’m more mature and my game has definitely evolved. I’m happy with the way my career is going and how I’m progressing,” Tiafoe told exactly two years after qualifying for his first ATP Challenger in Sarasota.

“There is definitely more work to be done,” the 19-year-old ATP NextGen star said. “But things are going the right way. I’m playing some good tennis and happy with everything I’ve been doing.”

Tiafoe takes away $14,400 in prize money as well as 90 ATP Ranking points.

Earlier the day, US-American Scott Lipsky and Austrian Jürgen Melzer captured the doubles crown, winning 6-2, 6-4 over the US-American-Canadian-tandem of Stefan Kozlov and Peter Polansky. The encounter lasted 64 minutes.