MUNICH, March 19, 2019 (by Dietmar Kaspar)

M15 Doha QAT – Belgian talent Zizou Bergs gets the crown in Doha

After his loss last week at the same place in the semi-finals, 19-year-old Zizou Bergs captured the title of the second Qatar Men’s ITF World Tennis Tour 2019 tournament held at the Kalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex.

The journey to the final started for the young Belgian with a very tough battle against 18-year-old Tomas Machac from the Czech Republic, who was No. 16 in ITF Junior rankings last year. After two hours and 31 minutes Bergs got the win in the encounter of the young guns. Followed by two straight-set wins versus Lebanese Giovani Samaha and Indian Sidhardt Rahwat the No. 2 seed had to compete against his doubles-partner Geoffrey Blancaneaux in the reissue of last weeks semi-final. This time Bergs could secure the win against the former No. 5 in the ITF Junior rankings, who had to retire in the second set.

Opponent in the final was Adrian Obert from Germany, who had a sensational run, starting the tournament in the qualifying competition. In the first round of the main draw the 23-year-old German upset No. 1 seed and last weeks finalist Jacob Grills from Australia, who had to retire after loosing the first set in the tie-break.

After a tough second-round battle in three sets versus Ricardo Rodriguez-Pace from Venezuela lasting almost three hours Olbert made two clear wins against 18-year-old Sidane Pont Jodikromo from the Netherlands and Russian player Alexander Igoshin.

In the title-match, Bergs was the dominating player sealing the win in two clear sets by 6:4, 6:1 lasting one hour and 13 minutes, so the former No. 12 in ITF Junior rankings could lift his third trophy on ITF World Tennis Tour.

M25+H Kazan RUS – Favourite home win of Russian hard-court-specialist Roman Safiullin

Roman Safiullin got his first ITF trophy of the season, winning the Kazan Kremlin Cup 2019 held at the Kazan Tennis Academy. The 21-year-old Russian who was previously No. 2 in ITF Junior rankings got the final win against Uzbekistan player Sanjar Fayziev, who won the title at same place in January beating former ATP No. 43 Teymuraz Gabashvili in the final.

Top seed Safiullin started into the competition with a tough three–set battle versus compatriot Alexander Vasilenko, followed by two straight-set wins against Aslan Karatsev from Russia and Frenchman Sadio Doumbia. In the semi-final he had to rally against 18-year old countryman Savriyan Danilov, getting the win in three sets.

24-year old Fayziev went on to the final without dropping a set. In the first rounds he got wins against Russian Shalva Dzhanashiya and 21-year-old Tim van Rijthoven from the Netherlands, who was former No. 13 in ITF Junior rankings and is coached by former ATP World No. 18 Paul Haarhuis. In the match against Ben Patael from Israel he took a succesful revenge for his loss last month at the tournament in Aktobe/Kazachstan, followed by the win versus Martins Podzus from Latvia to make him runner-up.

In the final favourite Saifiullin sealed the win by 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 to lift his 17th trophy on ITF World Tennis Tour, 16 of them won on hard courts.

M25 Bakersfield USA – US-American young gun Jenson Brooksby celabrates maiden ITF Pro Circuit title

The Bakersfield Tennis Open 2019 held at the Bakersfield Racquet Club came to a sensational finish with the triumph of Jenson Brooksby from the United States.

The 18-year-old wild card entry started into the competition by a clear two-set-win versus Karue Sell from Brasil, followed by a tough three-set-fight against countryman Alexander Ritschard winning by 6-7, 7-5, 7-6. After two consecutive straight-set-wins against his compatriots Strong Kirchheimer and Sekou Bangoura he made it to the final versus Australian Aleksandar Vucic.

No. 2 seed Vucic began his way to the title-match with victories against Chilean Bastian Malla and Tom Fawcett from the United States. With the two wins versus british competitor Lloyd Glasspool and Joao Menezes from Brasil, the 22-year-old confirmed his role as the favourite to the final.

The final was a one-sided match, dominated by Brooksby finishing the encounter after 49 minutes by 6-3, 6-1, winning 82 per cent of his first service points without dropping a service game. So the client of the JMG Academy at Arden Hills could lift his maiden trophy on ITF World Tennis Tour.

Another title run… this time in Bakersfield! The future is bright for Jenson Brooksby! 🏆🏆 #SicEm 🐻 | #FutureBear 🎾 pic.twitter.com/XES0DjUfwI

— Baylor Men’s Tennis (@BaylorMTennis) 17. März 2019

M15 Sharm el Sheikh EGY – Slovakian Lukas Klein captures second title in Sharm el Sheikh

Lukas Klein was the dominating competitor at the Soho Square in Sharm el Sheikh without dropping a set during the competition.

The 20-year old Slovakian could lift his second ITF World Tennis Tour trophy after his title 12 month ago at the same place.

The former No. 23 in ITF Junior rankings started his run to the final with defeats versus Remy Bertola from Switzerland and Gerorgian George Tsivadze. After wins against the two Italians Enrico Dalla Valle and Alessandro Bega he made it to the final against the next Italian competitor Jacopo Berrrettini.

20-year-old Berrettini outsetted the competition with a clear two-set-win against 19-year-old Stefan Palosi from Romania, who was No. 20 in ITF Junior rankings last year.

After victories versus Italian Claudio Fortuna and 19-year-old Michael Vrbensky from the Czech Republic, a former No. 14 in ITF Junior rankings ,he made it to the semi-finals against Daniel Altmaier from Germany. In the semi-final Klein interrupted the comback-run of the former ATP No. 210 who was almost one year out of tennis due to surgeries, by a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 win.

The final was a clear case for Klein, winning 90 per cent of his second service points to finish the encounter by 6-4, 6-4 after one hour and 21 minutes.

M15 Poitiers FRA – Surprising win by Quentin Robert in Poitiers

The Open Masculin 86 held at the Stade Poitevin Tennis in Poitiers ended with a surprising win of Quentin Robert who is starting for the French oversea-departement Réunion.

The 24-year-old Robert battled past five French competitors to secure the title, starting with wins over Pierre Faivre and Joffrey de Schepper. In the quarterfinals he defeated top seed Antoine Escoffier in a tough three-set-battle by 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, followed by a two-set win aganist 21-year-old Corentin Denolly, who was No. 3 in ITF Junior rankings.

In the final he met last French tournament-hope No 5 seed Matteo Martineau.

20-year-old Martineau, who was previously No. 16 in ITF Junior rankings, opened the competition with a very tough three-set-battle versus French compatriot Dan Added, winning the encounter against the 19-year old and former Nr. 22 in ITF Junior rankings by 4-6, 7-6, 7-6. After defeating Swedish Filip Bergevi in straight sets he stopped the run of last weeks Toulouse-champion and No. 5 seed Hugo Grenier from France, who had to retire after being a set and a break down. In the semi-final he came back from set down to seal the win versus Frenchman Louis Lechevretel by 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

The title-match of the top-seed-conquerers was a clear matter for Robert finishing by 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 13 minutes to lift his second trophy on ITF World Tennis Tour after his title in Indonesia 2018.

M15 Nishi-Tokyo – Korean Seong Chan Hong gets the crown in Nishi-Tokyo

Seong Chan Hong from Korea prevented another Japanese home-win at the Waseda University Futures International Tennis 2019.

The 21-year-old former No. 2 at ITF Junior rankings started the competition with a tough battle in the opening round against Japanese Gengo Kikuchi by 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, followed by a straight-set-win versus Japanese Sho Shimabukuro.

In the next round another comeback-win in three sets was needed to defeat 20-year-old Australian Blake Ellis, who is coached by former ATP No. 11 Wayne Arthurs. The last match on the way to the final was a clear two-set-win versus Japanese Hiroyasu Ehara.

Opponent in the title-match was 27-year old Japanese Shuichi Sekiguchi. The former No. 5 in ITF Junior rankings opened the run to the final in beating 17-year-old talent Keisuke Saitoh, who is currently ranked No. 17 in ITF Junior, by 6-3, 6-2, followed by two straight set wins against the Japanese players Yuki Mochizuki and last week’s Nishi Tama-champion Shintaro Imai. In the semi-finals the No. 3 seed had to rally past 31-year-old countryman Takuto Niki, winning 6-4, 6-7, 6-3.

In the final No. 7 seed Hong sealed the first set in the tie-break followed by 6-4 in the second set. After one hour and 36 minutes he could lift his overall seventh ITF World Tennis Tour trophy, all clinched on hard courts.

M15 Cancun MEX – Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas captures his first title on hard court

Top seed Juan Pablo Varillas confirmed his favorites position at the Cancun Tennis Cup 2019 held at the Cancun Tennis Academy.

The 23-year-old Peruvian opened the competition with two straight-set wins against Polish Daniel Kossek and David Pichler from Austria, followed by a three-set fight versus Federico Zeballos from Bolivia. In the semi-final he stopped the run of 18-year-old Brazilian Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva who was ranked No. 30 in ITF Juniors last year.

In the bottom half qualifier Naoki Nakagawa made a sensational run to the final without dropping a set. The 22-year old Japanese who was previously No. 9 in ITF Junior rankings started the main draw beating Peruvian Mauricio Echazu and Wilfredo Gonzalez from Guatemala, followed by wins against the two Mexican competitors Gerardo Lopez Villasenor and 19-year-old Juan Alejandro Hernandez Serrano.

The title match was a balanced battle in three sets lasting two hours and 33 minutes. Varillas could defuse the big serve of Nakagawa who fired 12 aces in the final. With winning 92 of the 182 points played, Varillas could lift his third career trophy on ITF World Tennis Tour after his two titles on clay in Turkey and Belgium in 2018.

M15 Portimao POR – Marathon man Evan Hoyt gets the championship in Portimao

Mexican born Evan Hoyt starting for Great Britain captured the title of the Portimao Open 2019 Future Portugal 3 held at the Clube de Tenis Portimao e Rocha.

The 24-year old started into the tournament with an easy win against 18-year-aged Leonid Sheyngezikht from Bulgaria followed by his first successful three-set-battle versus Peter Bothwell from Ireland. In the upcoming match the No. 7 seed defeated 19-year-old Tomas Martin Etcheverry from Argentina, who was a former No. 12 in ITF Junior rankings, by 7-6, 6-7, 7-5. The last tough encounter to reach the final went over Colombian Alejandro Gomez getting the win by 6-7, 7-5, 7-5 in two hours and 50 minutes.

Unseeded Tiago Cacao from Portugal finished runner-up. The 21-year-old opened the competition with a three-set win against US-American Michael Zhu.

After straight-set wins versus 19-year-old Portugese Luis Faria, US-American Paul C. Oosterbaan and Finn Tearney from New Zealand his great run was rewarded with the appearance in the final.

In the title-match Hoyt got the win after one hour and 46 minutes to lift his fourth trophy on ITF Tennis World Tour, all of them celebrated on hard court.

M15 Tabarka TUN – Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech celebrates the win of the competition with epic semi-final battle

No. 3 seed Arthur Rinderknech from France captured the title of the Magic Tours tournament 2019 held at the Thabraca Magic Hotel.

The 23-year-old opened the competition with defeats against Italian Simone Roncalli, Sergio Martos Gornes from Spain (three sets) and Vit Kopriva from the Czech Republic.

Runner-up Pol Toledo Bague started with an easy win versus Italian Davide Galoppini followed by the win against 23-year-old Maxime Hamou, who was previously No. 8 in Junior ITF rankings. Frenchman Hamou had to retire in the second set after winning the first set in the tie-break. In the next round No. 5 seed Toledo Bague took sucessfully revenge for the final loss last week against Spanish compatriot Oriol Roca Batalla at the same place, winning both sets in the tie-break.

Highlight of the tournament were the two epic semi-finals. In the first semi-final Rinderknech defeated 26-year old French compatriot Mathieu Perchicot, who battled past top seed Vaclav Safranek in the opening round, after three hours and 23 minutes by 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.

Toledo Bague sealed the win in the second semi-final against qualifier Eric Crepaldi from Italy after three hours and 30 minutes by 7-5, 4-6, 7-6.

The final was a clear case for Frenchman Rinderknech. After serving eight aces he finished the match by 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 26 minutes to lift his fourth career trophy on ITF World Tennis Tour.

M15 Antalya TUR – Brazilian Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves clinches his second title of the season

21-year old Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves seals the win of the Tennis Organisation Cup 2019 held at Starlight Resort Hotel in Antalya.

The Brazilian started his final run with an easy win versus Luca Gelhardt from Germany followed by a great win in three sets against top seed Dimitar Kuzmanov from Bulgaria, who was former ATP No. 249. The next steps were the two-set defeat versus Russian Kirill Kivattsev and a three-set win over 22-year-old Matias Zukas, former No. 14 in ITF Junior rankings.

Finalist Ivan Nedelko from Russia began the tournament with a clear win against Romanian Mircea-Alexandru Jecan followed by the three-set defeat versus Bastian Trinker from Austria. After his straight-set win against Italian Julian Ocleppo he interrupted the run of former Junior No. 1 and Junior Grand-Slam-Champion Sebastian Korda from the United States, who is coached by his dad Petr Korda former ATP No. 2 and singles Grand Slam Champion, in one hour and 18 minutes by 6-1, 6-3.

The final had an unhappy finish after two hours and 12 minutes. No 4 seed Nedelko had to retire after the second set by 7-6, 5-7, so unseeded Meligeni Rodrigues Alves could celebrate his second ITF World Tennis Tour title of the season, his third overall.

He crowned the title with an additional doubles title partnering 31-year-old Peter Torebko from Germany, who was official hitting-partner at the ATP Finals 2018 in London.

M15 Arcadia USA – Swissman Antoine Bellier captures his maiden Pro-title 

The iTennis Pro Classic 2019 presented by Cerritos Sheraton held at Arcadia Tennis Center finished with Antoine Bellier from Switzerland by taking his maiden title.

The 22-year aged opened the competition with straight-set wins versus US-American Mousheg Hovhannisyan and Moldavian Alexander Cozbinov. In the next round the No. 8 seed met 24-year-old Connor Farren from the United States, who was former No. 12 in ITF Junior rankings, winning by 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

The last step to the final was the two-set defeat versus 17-year-old US-American Emilio Nava, the current No. 5 in ITF Junior rankings.

Surprising final opponent Grey Hamilton from the United States started with a three-set-defeat versus Greek Michail Pervolarakis and a two-set-defeat against US-American Christian Langmo, followed by a two-set win versus Chilean Gonzalo Lama and a three-set win against Alan Kohen from Argentina.

In the title-match the 22-year-old qualifier Hamilton didn’t have any chance, so Bellier saved the win by serving eight aces with 6-3, 6-3 in 59 minutes to lift his first trophy on ITF World Tennis Tour.

Title in singles 🏆 for my first week here in California 🇺🇸 Thank you everyone for the support ! @GTGAcademy @swiss_tennis pic.twitter.com/tgKVyf3rQV

— Antoine Bellier (@antoine_bellier) 17. März 2019