MUNICH, May 8, 2019 (by Dietmar Kaspar)
M15 Accra GHA – Ryan James Storrie captures maiden title on the ITF Pro Circuit
The McDan Championship, which was hosted at the Accra Sports Stadium, concluded with the victory of Ryan James Storrie.
No. 2 seeded Storrie from Great Britain prevailed in the bottom half of the draw, beating the No. 4 of the competition Mehluli Don Ayanda Sibanda in the stage of the final four.
The top half was dominated by top seeded Benjamin Lock from Zimbabwe. The 26-year-old defeated Ukrainian Eric Vanshelmboin, who entered the tournament on position 3, in the semi-finals.
Both players did not drop a set on the way to the title match. Lasting 96 minutes, 21-year-old Storrie capitalized on five of his 10 break point chances by losing three service games to secure a 6-4, 6-4 victory. The Dorchester native celebrated his first title on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
“This title means a lot to me,” Storrie said. “I love Ghana, all the fans love tennis. They even have a band on Centre Court. It’s very nice.”
Singles runner-up Benjamin Lock and his Brother Courtney John Lock won the doubles final. The duo from Zimbabwe rallied past British Darryl Hale and Niklas Johansson from Sweden with 6-4, 6-1.
M15 Buenos Aires ARG – Teenager Sebastian Baez with sensational run to clinch his maiden title
Unseeded Sebastian Baez emerged victorious from the M15 Buenos Aires 4 Copa el Abierto.
The 18-year-old Argentine beat his countryman Thiago Augustin Tirante in the semi-finals in three sets.
Sebastian Baez
No. 3 seed Augustin Velotti from Argentina, who was ranked ITF No. 2 as a junior, battled down his No. 2 seeded compatriot Hernan Casanova in the stage of the final four in two sets.
In front of about 100 spectators a the Tennis Club El Abierto, Baez defeated Velotti in the final 6-4, 6-0.
“I am happy to win my first professional title on home soil,” Baez said. “I think that my team and I are on the right way. This title win give me confidence for the future.”
M15 Antalya TUR – Clay-court fan Ivan Nedelko prevails
Top seeded Ivan Nedelko clinched the title of the Daikin Cup Tennis Series, held at Starlight Resort Hotel in Antalya.
The 32-year-old veteran from Russia, who rallied past Ukrainian teenager Georgii Kravchenko 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the stage of the final four after two hours and 39 minutes, met Turkish No. 2 seed Ergi Kirkin in the title match.
Converting six of his 11 break point opportunities by losing three service games in the final, Nedelko earned 6-3, 6-3 victory in one hour and 52 minutes to celebrate his 21st singles title on the ITF World Tennis Tour, all of them won on clay courts.
M15 Cario EGY – Marathon-man Albert Alcaraz Ivorra clinches his second career title
The Egypt Men’s Future 2019, hosted at the Al-Solaimaneyah Tennis Center in Cairo, concluded with the victory of Albert Alcaraz Ivorra.
The 23-year-old Spaniard, who entered the tournament in the qualifying competition, got victorious from a tough semi-final clash against Swiss No. 5 seed Adam Moundir with 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 after two hours and 27 minutes.
Runner-up Marko Tepavac from Serbia, who was seeded on position seven, knocked off Polish qualifier Adrian Andrzejczuk in the stage of the final four in two sets. Tepavac reached his second consecutive final after his title win last week at the same place.
Scoring only two points more than his 25-year-old rival in the title match, Alcaraz Ivorra sealed a 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 win after three hours and nine minutes to lift his second trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour, his first since 2016.
🎾 El alicantino Albert Alcaraz conquista su segundo título profesional en Egipto 3 años después
📝Leer más: https://t.co/Q3xtvOtEbZ pic.twitter.com/L5kdA6vDk4
— Tenis España (@spaintenis) 6. Mai 2019
M15 Tabarka TUN – Rafael Matos captures further titles on clay
The Magic Tours tournament at the Thabraca Magic Hotel culminated in the total triumph of Rafael Matos. Additionally to his singles title, the 23-year old Brazilian clinched the doubles trophy together with his countryman and singles-final opponent Orlando Luz.
En route to the final, No. 3 seeded Matos knocked off Spanish No. 2 seed Pol Toledo Bague in the stage of the final four in two sets.
Top seed Orlando Luz, who was ranked ITF No. 1 as a junior, defeated Argentine No. 4 seed Franco Emanuel Egea in the semi-finals in straight sets.
Outpointing his 21-year-old opponent 88-76, Rafael Matos earned a 7-5, 7-5 win after two hours and 14 minutes to lift his fourth singles trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour, all of them achieved on clay courts.
M15 Tbilisi GEO – Michal Konecny crowns his dream week
The Tbilisi Cup, which was held at Mziuri Tennis Club, was a good place for the favourites. All top four seeded competitors made it to the semi-finals.
The tournament’s No. 2 Michal Konecny from the Czech Republic battled past Turkish top seed Altug Celikbilek with 6-4, 2-6, 7-6.
26-year-old Mark Whitehouse from Great-Britain, who entered the tournament on position three, defeated Irish Peter Bothwell in two sets.
In the title match, 29-year-old Konecny outpointed opponent Whitehouse 83-72 in 99 minutes to seal a 7-6, 7-5 victory.
Additionally to his 14th singles on the ITF World Tennis Tour, Michal Konecny added another doubles trophy alongside his compatriot Ondrej Krstev.
M15 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – Clay-court specialist Eduard Esteve Lobate clinches his second title of the season
No. 2 seeded Eduard Esteve Lobato dominated the Gran Canaria Isla Europea del Deporte, held at Club Tamarasit, without losing a set during the competition.
In the all-top-four-seeded semi-finals, the 24-year-old Spaniard rallied past Brazilian No. 3 seed Jordan Correia.
Runner-up Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves from Brazil took the last step to the final with a tough three-set battle against Spanish No. 4 seed Jaume Pla Malfeito, lasting two hours and 40 minutes.
Capitalizing on five of his nine break point chances by dropping only one service game in the title match, Esteve Lobato defeated his 21-year-old rival with 6-2, 6-3 in 66 minutes. It was his fifth title on the ITF World Tennis Tour, all of them won on clay-court.
🎾 El tarraconense Eduard Esteve se lleva el primero de los dos torneos de 15 mil dólares de Las Palmas
📝Leer más: https://t.co/6CYJ0SMEoN pic.twitter.com/w3sDGPkfmb
— Tenis España (@spaintenis) 6. Mai 2019
M15 Grasse FRA – In-form Maxime Hamou captures his third title of the season
Maxime Hamou got the final win of the Open de Grasse, held at the Tennis Club de Grasse, to celebrate his third title in his last four tournament appearances.
The 23-year-old French stopped the run of last year’s No. 8 in ITF Junior rankings Naoki Tajima from Japan in the stage of the final four in straight sets.
In the title match, Hamou faced his top seeded compatriot Corentin Denolly, who was ranked ITF No. 3 as a junior. Converting four of his seven break point chances without losing a service game, unseeded Hamou got the final victory with 6-2, 6-3 after 64 minutes to lift his 11th singes trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M25 Santa Margherita di Pula ITA – Peter Torebko gets the crown in Sardinia
Peter Torebko clinched the title at ASD Fortevillage in Santa Margherita di Pula.
The 31-year-old German, who entered the competition on position eight, battled past Italian No. 2 seed Fabrizio Ornago in the semi-finals in straight sets.
Italian teenager Emiliano Maggioli took the last step to the final in defeating No. 5 seeded Jules Okala from France in three sets.
Lasting three hours and nine minutes, Torebko outpointed his 18-year-old left handed opponent 117-102 to seal a 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 victory. Torebko, who was official hitting partner at the ATP Tour Finals 2018 in London, celebrated his 13th trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M25 Namangan UZB – In-form Tim van Rijthoven captures back-to-back titles
No. 3 seeded Tim van Rijthoven got the title of the Namangan Combined ITF World Tennis Tour Event, held at Dustlik Tennis Club. After his triumph last week in Andijan, the former No. 13 in ITF Junior rankings lifted his second consecutive trophy on Uzbek soil.
The 22-year-old Dutch battled past Russian veteran Konstantin Kravchuk, who was previously ranked ATP No. 78, in two intensive sets with 7-6, 7-5 in the semi-finals.
In the title match, he had to compete against Russian top seed Roman Safiullin, who already clinched three titles on the ITF Pro Circuit this season. Firing 13 aces and capitalizing on four of his five break point chances, van Rijthoven sealed a 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory against his 21-year-old opponent after two hours and 14 minutes to celebrate his third title of the season and his seventh overall trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Wuhan CHN – Shuichi Sekiguchi seals favourite win
Top seeded Shuichi Sekiguchi got the title of the ITF M15 tournament in Wuhan, which was hosted at the Wuhan National Fitness Centre, to lift his second trophy of the season.
The 27-year-old Japanese rallied down No. 4 seeded Kuan-Yi Lee from Chinese Taipei in the stage of the final four in two sets.
Unseeded Japanese Sho Shimabukuro, who defeated No. 2 seeded Thai Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul in the second round, took the last step to title match with a three-set victory against No. 3 seed Fajing Sun from China.
Outpointing his 21-year-old rival with 58-31, Sekigushi finished the one-sided final after 56 minutes to lift his eighth career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
