L’AQUILA, August 25, 2019
Andrea Collarini has clinched his maiden title on the ATP Challenger Tour. The 27-year-old Argentine defeated Andrej Martin, top seed of the Internazionali Di Tennis Citta’ Dell’Aquila, 6-3, 6-1 in Sunday’s singles final.
Ahead of the championship match, both players had to win their semi-finals, which couldn’t be played on Saturday due to bad weather. Collarini had to save two match points in his almost three-hour battle against Spaniard Carlos Taberner. Martin remained untroubled when he cruised past No. 3 seed Dmitry Popko from Kazahstan, winning in straight sets.
In the final, Collarini showed his best tennis with solid groundstrokes. The World No. 306 broke Martin’s serve four times to seal victory in one hour and 10 minutes.
First-time winner! @andreacollarini upsets top seed @AndrejMartinSVK at @meftennisevents in l’Aquila to clinch his maiden @ATPChallenger crown. pic.twitter.com/kQHjL33e2x
— TennisTourTalk (@TennisTourTalk) August 25, 2019
“I was really focused on every point and didn’t think of anything else. I really wanted to win, giving 100 per cent. That made the difference in the end,” Collarini told Tennis TourTalk.
“I played three hours in the morning, followed by maybe three hours rest. In the beginning I was hoping for some rain but I am really happy that I played today and it went my way.”
Following 15 titles on the ITF Pro Circuit, Collarini celebrated his first triumph at Challenger level. In 2014, the Gaucho finished runner-up to Victor Estrella Burgos at the ATP Challenger in Salinas, Ecuador.
“It feels great. After my last Challenger final I had many injuries and I haven’t played that well. I lost in some semi-finals, maybe five or six. I hope that this is some point of a new beginning,” said Collarini, who takes away from the Abruzzo region €6,140 in prize money as well as 80 ATP-Ranking points.
“I have been playing for many tournaments in a row now. With these very important points I maybe can take some weeks rest, going home, as I haven’t been there for seven weeks. Then I will play at least 10 more tournaments. I will keep giving 100 per cent.”
Brkic/Pavic win seventh Challenger doubles title
Tomislav Brkic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ante Pavic from Croatia continued their great run of form in doubles clinching their fourth team title of the season. The duo defeated Luca Margaroli from Switzerland and Italian Andrea Vavassori 6-3, 6-2 in the final.
Tomislav Brkic and Ante Pavic
“It was an incredible week for us,” Brkic told Tennis TourTalk after the 55 minutes encounter. “We came here with a lot of confidence. We played an unbelievable match from the beginning until the end. I hope we can continue to play like this until the rest of the season.”
Brkic and Pavic lifted the trophies at the ATP Challenger events in Milan, Perugia as well as Cordenons last week. They split €2,670 in prize money and 80 ATP Ranking points.
“I am going to Como now,” Pavic added. “Tomislav will rest next week and we will be back together in Genova. We have to match our schedule as we want to keep playing together until the end of the year. Hopefully we can make it into the top 100 as soon as possible having the chance to enter the Grand Slams next year.”
