KAOHSIUNG, September 23, 2018

Gael Monfils only played three ATP Challenger events in the last 10 years but has won all of them. His latest victory has come at the OEC Open in Kaohsiung. The top seed of the $150,000 hard-court event fought past qualifier Soonwoo Kwon of South Korea 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in Sunday’s singles final.

Monfils fired 11 aces, winning 73 per cent of his first service points to prevail after one hour and 43 minutes. By lifting his sixth ATP Challenger trophy, his first since Bordeaux 2013, the World No. 42 takes away $21,600 in prize money as well as 125 ATP-Ranking points.

“He played really amazing. It was very tough and a great game,” Monfils told during his post-match press conference. “Unfortunately there is not much time to celebrate but we will for sure find a nice restaurant tonight and tomorrow will be another tournament.”

Monifils will now return to the ATP World Tour, competing in the Chengdu Open next week. He will face South African Lloyd Harris in the first round.

Earlier in the day, Cheng-Peng Hsieh and Tsung-Hua Yang clinched the doubles crowns. The duo rallied past wild card entries Yu Hsiou Hsu and Jimmy Wang in an all-Taiwanese final 6-7(3), 6-2, 10-8. The encounter lasted one hour and 25 minutes.