SAVANNAH, May 5, 2019
The singles final is set at the 2019 St. Joseph’s/Candler Savannah Challenger with Federico Coria and Paolo Lorenzi advancing to the championship match on Sunday.
In the first singles semi-final, Argentine Federico Coria, brother of former World No. 3 Guillermo Coria, took to the court against Australian Aleksandar Vukic. Coria was able to grab the break and take the opening set 6-4, before steamrolling Vukic in the second and closing out the match with a final score of 6-4, 6-0 in one hour and 17 minutes.
With the win, the No. 15 seed advances to his first career ATP Challenger Tour singles final. Coria holds nine ITF Pro Circuit titles, and a win on Sunday would give him the biggest title of his career.
In the second singles semi-final, it was No. 2 seed Paolo Lorenzi versus Indian young gun, Sumit Nagal. After an early lighting delay, the two stayed neck and neck with one another in the first, with Lorenzi waiting until 5-4 to break and take the opening set. Nagal turned the tables in the second, winning it 6-4 to force the third. The Italian veteran though turned the tides and found his game again to finish off the match and defeat Nagal 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 after two hours and 31 minutes.
Lorenzi will now be competing for his 22nd ATP Challenger singles title. A win on Sunday would move the Italian to be tied at No. 2 on the all-time titles leader board and he would also become the oldest winner of 2019 at 37-years-old. Lorenzi won the only previous meeting between the two at the ATP Challenger in Montevideo last year.
In the remaining doubles semi-final, the French team of Manuel Guinard and Arthur Rinderknech took on Emilio Gomez of Ecuador and US-American Jackson Withrow. The Frenchmen clinched the match with a 7 6(2), 7-6(5) win to advance to their first ATP Challenger Tour doubles final. Both have picked up ITF World Tennis Tour titles this year.
A French Affair 🇫🇷
Manuel Guinard & Arthur Rinderknech are into the #SavChallenger doubles final after a 7-6(2), 7-6(5) win over Withrow & Gomez! pic.twitter.com/8uuOX7DdxZ
— Savannah Challenger (@Sav_Challenger) 4. Mai 2019
Play gets underway on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. with Manuel Guinard and Arthur Rinderknech taking on Roberto Maytin and Fernando Romboli. Next up, the singles final will get underway with Federico Coria and Paolo Lorenzi battling it out for the 2019 SJ/C Savannah Challenger singles title.
Saturday’s Results
Singles – Semi-finals
(2) Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) d. Sumit Nagal (IND) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
(15) Federico Coria (ARG) d. Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 6-4, 6-0
Doubles – Semi-finals
Manuel Guinard and Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) d. Emilio Gomez (ECU) and Jackson Withrow (USA) 7-6(2), 7-6(5)
