PORTOROZ, August 13, 2017

Sergiy Stakhovsky is the champion of the €43,000 Zavarovalnica Sava Slovenia Open. The third seed from the Ukraine rallied past Italy’s #NextGenATP player Matteo Berrettini in Saturday evening’s singles final 6-7, 7-6, 6-3.

In the pair’s first meeting, Stakhovsky came back from a set and 0-3 down, saved five of the 10 break points he faced, converting six of his own to prevail in two hours and 32 minutes.

Winner Sergiy Stakhovsky and runner up Matteo Berrettini (photo: Vid Ponivkvar/SPortida)

The 31-year-old earns €6,190 in prize money as well as 80 ATP ranking points. Stakhovsky’s sixth ATP Challenger title, his first trophy since Seoul last year, will help me to re-enter the Top 100 on Monday.

“I haven’t been here in Portoroz for a long time,” Stakhovsky told. “The tournament is perfect to take the family with you. Everyone can enjoy the beach and I can focus on playing tennis. It was a great choice.”

Berrettini could also take the positives from the week.

“I think I played well. The surface here is quite slow and it is difficult to break but Sergiy was very aggressive, in particular in the third set. I am happy with the progress I am making.”