MUNICH, September 26, 2019 (by Dietmar Kaspar)
M15 Fayetteville USA – Teenager Rinky Hijikata clinches his maiden trophy in Arkansas
Rinky Hijikataa is the champion of the Legacy National Bank NWA Tennis Series, held at Billingsley Tennis Center in Fayetteville.
The 18-year-old Australian, who entered the tournament by his current ITF Junior ranking, benefited in the semi-finals from the retirement of Japanese top seed Takuto Niki, trailing 1-6, 0-2.
The tournament’s No. 2 Nick Chappel from the United States stopped the run of Swedish Carl Soderlund in the stage of the last four also by retirement in the second set.
Sydney native Hijikata outpointed his left handed rival 69-61 to secure a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 comeback win in one hour and 44 minutes. He celebrated his first ever trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M25 Madrid ESP – Benjamin Bonzi celebrates his second title of the season
Top seeded Benjamin Bonzi claimed the trophy of the X Torneo Internacional Villa de Madrid M21, hosted at Ciudad de la Raqueta.
Benjamin Bonzi and Alejandro Gonzalez
The 23-year-old French made the last step to the final by beating Spanish Sergio Gutierrez-Ferrol in two close sets.
Colombian No. 5 seed Alejandro Gonzalez fought past Daniel Dutra da Silva from Brazil in a tough three-set battle in the semi-finals.
In the 85 minutes lasting championship match, Nimes-born Bonzi won 80 per cent of his first-service points to earn the victory by the score of 6-2, 7-6. He lifted his ninth career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M25 Cairns AUS – Blake Mott with sensational comeback
The Cairns Tennis International, hosted at Cairns International Tennis Centre, concluded with the surprising victory of Blake Mott.
The 23-year-old Australian, who already played five Grand-Slam qualifying events, took a two-year break after his first-round loss at the US Open 2017. The tournament in Cairns was his first appearance on the Pro Circuit after his hiatus.
Wild card entry Mott advanced from the bottom half of the draw, benefiting from the retirement of British No. 2 seed Brydan Klein at the score of 4-6, 1-3.
Ukrainian No. 3 seed Vladyslav Orlov rallied past top seeded Australian Maverick Banes in the semi-finals in three sets.
Caringbah-born Mott won 74 per cent of his first-service points to seal a 7-5, 6-2 win after one hour and 32 minutes. He celebrated his second career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour after his maiden championship in Launceston in 2016.
M25 Plaisir FRA – Yannick Mertens triumphs
Yannick Mertens claimed the title of the Tournoi de la Ville de Plaisir, held at Tennis Club de Plaisir.
The Belgian No. 5 seed fought past left-handed No. 6 seed Gregoire Jacq from France in the semi-finals in straight sets.
Top seeded Christopher Heyman from Belgium booked the spot in the final by defeating Swedish Filip Bergevi in two sets.
In the all-Belgian title match, 32-year-old Mertens broke his opponent’s service five times without dropping a service game to secure a 6-3, 6-0 win after 71 minutes. The Anderlecht-native lifted his 27th singles trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M25 Houston USA – Teenager Hugo Gaston prevails in Texas
No. 2 seeded Hugo Gaston from France clinched the trophy of the Texas Tamale Company Houston Cup, hosted at Rice University.
The former No. 2 in ITF Juniors made the last step to the final by defeating US-American Austin Rapp in straight sets.
Liam Caruana from Italy, who attended the #Next Gen ATP Finals 2018 in Milan, edged past US-American No. 4 seed Alexander Sarkissian in the semi-finals in straight sets.
18-year-old Gaston fired 12 aces during the title match to seal a 6-1, 6-3 victory after 46 minutes. The Toulouse native celebrated his second career title on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M25 Santa Margherita di Pula ITA – Thiemo De Bakker crowns his perfect week
The M25 Santa Margherita di Pula tournament, hosted at ASD Fortevillage, concluded with the triumph of Thiemo de Bakker. In addition to his championship in the singles competition, the Dutchman clinched the doubles trophy together with Clement Tabur from France.
The former No. 40 of the World stopped the run of qualifier Matteo Gigante from Italy in the stage of the final four in staight sets.
Top seeded German Lucas Gerch advanced from the top half of the draw by beating Gianluca di Nicola from Italy in three sets.
No. 5 seeded De Bakker won 79 per cent of his first-service points to get the final win by the score of 6-2, 6-4 after one hour and 37 minutes. The veteran added his 12th ITF World Tennis Tour trophy to his 11 titles on the ATP Challenger Tour.
M15 Targu Mures ROU – Teenager Nicholas David Ionel clinches back-to-back titles on home soil
Following his championship in Brasov last week, Nicholas David Ionel clinched the trophy of the Novitas 3D City Cyclomedia by Technology, held at C.S. Municipal Targu Mures.
The 16-year-old, who knocked off Russian No. 2 seed Kirill Kivattsev in the opening round, emerged victorious from the all-Romanian semi-final clash versus No. 5 seeded Bogdan Ionut Apostol in three sets.
Argentinean No. 3 seed Juan Ignacio Galarza battled past Ukrainian teenager Oleksij Krutykh in the stage of the final four in three sets.
Lasting two hours and 52 minutes, unseeded Ionel made one point less than his 25-year-old rival but secured a 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory. The Bucharest native lifted his second career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Pajulahti FIN – Maiden title for teenager Safriyan Danilov
Safriyan Danilov is the champion of the Pajulahti Cup, hosted at Pajulahti Sports Center.
The 19-year-old Russian eased past Japanese No. 8 seed Naoki Tajima in the semi-finals in straight sets. Tajima, who was ranked No. 8 in ITF Juniors last year, celebrated his 19th birthday on the day of the semifinals.
Robert Strombach, who entered the tournament on position five, took the last step by beating Finnish No. 6 seed Patrik Niklas-Salminen in two sets.
Striking 12 aces during the two hours and 25 minutes lasting championship match, No. 7 seeded Danilov sealed a 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 win to celebrate his first singles trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Buenos Aires ARG – Gonzalo Villanueva captures his fourth title of the season
After his triumph in Lambare last week, 24-year-old Gonzalo Villanueva claimed the trophy of the M15 Buenos Aires tournament, held at El Abierto.
In the all-Argentinean semi-finals, the No. 2 seed battled past No. 6 seeded Genaro Alberto Olivieri, who was ranked ITF No. 8 as a junior, in two sets.
Maximiliano Estevez , who entered the competition on position five, rallied down Guido Ivan Justo in straight sets.
Coming back from a set down, Parana-born Villanueva prevailed after two hours and 23 minutes by the score of 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to celebrate his sixth career title on the ITF World Tennis Tour, his fourth in 2019.
🏆 Gonzalo Villanueva se consagró campeón del #M15BuenosAires 🇦🇷 tras vencer a su compatriota Maximiliano Estévez por 4-6, 6-4 y 6-1 pic.twitter.com/kL7Ev36TVp
— eltenisquenovemos (@ETQNV) September 22, 2019
M15 Shymkent KAZ – Teenager Sergey Fomin earns his maiden trophy
The Shymkent Open, hosted at the National Tennis Center, ended with by the championship of Tashkent-born Sergey Fomin.
The 18-year-old Uzbek, who celebrated his first title on the ITF World Tennis Tour, stopped the way of Russian No. 2 seed Vladyslav Manafov in the stage of the last four in three sets.
No. 3 seeded Alexey Zakharov advanced by winning the all-Russian semi-final encounter against Matvey Khomentovskiy in straight sets.
Outpionting his opponent 87-86 in the title match of the teenagers, unseeded Fomin secured a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 win in two hours and 20 minutes.
💪🏆🎉 #1 #shymkent #itf pic.twitter.com/GtwOeD3j8Y
— Sergey Fomin News (@fomin_fan) September 22, 2019
M15 Tabarka TUN – Bogdan Bobrov celebrates his maiden title
No. 2 seeded Bogdan Bobrov claimed the Magic Tours trophy at the Thabraca Magic Hotel in Tabarka without losing a set the entire week.
The 22-year-old Russian battled past Italian No. 5 seed Marco Miceli in the stage of the last four in two sets.
Last week’s Tabarka champion Thomas Laurent from France, who entered the tournament by special exempt, knocked off Tunisian top seed Aziz Dougaz in the semi-finals in straight sets.
Winning 77 per cent his first-service points, Penza-born Bobrov prevailed after almost two hours 6-4, 6-4. He lifted his first singles trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Antalya TUR – Veteran Ivan Nedelko captures his sixth title of the season
Ivan Nedelko got the trophy of the GD Tennis Cup Series, hosted at Kaya Belek Resort Hotel in Antalya.
The Russian top seed eased past No. 4 seeded Kacper Zuk from Poland in the stage of the final four in three sets.
The tournament’s No. 5 Michael Vrbensky from the Czech Republic advanced from the bottom half of the draw, beating Ukrainian Vitaliy Sachko in straight sets.
Clay-court specialist Nedelko outpointed his 19-year-old rival 98-86 to seal a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win after two hours and 44 minutes. The 33-year-old St. Petersburg native lifted his 25th trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour, his sixth in 2019. All of them came on clay.
M15 Cairo EGY – Maiden title for teenager Daniel Michalski
Following his maiden doubles championship in Sharm el Sheikh earlier this season, No. 2 seeded Daniel Michalski celebrated his first singles title on the ITF World Tennis Tour, winning the M15 Cairo tournament at Al-Solaimaneyah Tennis Center.
The 19-year-old Polish fought past Spanish No. 7 seed Jose Fco. Vidal Azorin in the stage of the last four in straight sets.
Top seeded French Mathieu Perchicot stopped the run of Italian No. 5 seed Simone Roncalli in the semi-finals in two sets.
Warsaw-born Michalski broke his opponent’s service for three times to seal the final win by the score 6-2, 7-6 after almost two hours of play.
M15 Zlatibor SRB – Nerman Fatic secures win
Top seeded Nerman Fatic triumphed at the Zlatibor Open 2019, held at TC Zlatibor Springs.
In the semi-finals with the four favourites, the 24-year-old from Bosnia and Herzegovina battled past Croatian No. 4 seed Matija Pecotic in three sets.
No. 2 seeded teenager Marko Miladinovic from Serbia, who was ranked No. 2 in ITF Juniors last year, had to retire against Hungarian No. 3 seed Peter Nagy at the score of 2-4 in the final set.
Sarajevo-born Fatic won 75 per cent of his first-service points to get the final win with 7-5, 6-3 after 84 minutes. He celebrated his third career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Cancun MEX – Mexico-specialist Adam El Mihdawy prevails in Cancun
Adam El Midhawy clinched another title at the Cancun Tennis Cup, hosted at Cancun Tennis Academy, to celebrate his eighth trophy on Mexican soil from his career 14 titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
The 30-year-old US-American made the last step to the final by defeating No. 3 seeded Jack Findel-Hawkins from Great-Britain in straight sets.
Colombian No. 6 seed Cristian Rodriguez rallied past Peter Bertran from the Dominican Republic in the semi-finals in two csets.
No. 2 seeded El Midhawy capitalized on three of his nine break-point opportunities by saving all 10 break points he faced, to get the final win with 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 after three hours and 19 minutes.
M15 Nanchang CHN – Ryota Tanuma triumphs in China
24-year-old Ryota Tanuma clinched the trophy of the M15 Nanchang tournament, held at the Zhong Chang Hong Wang Center.
The No. 4 seed emerged victorious from the all-Japanese semi-final battle versus left-handed top seed Makoto Ochi in three sets.
The tournament’s No. 3 Dusty H. Boyer from the United States advanced from the bottom half of the draw, defeating left-handed Swiss Luca Castelnuovo in three sets.
Tokyo native Tanuma converted two of his nine break-point chances without facing a break point to claim a 6-3, 6-4 victory after 79 minutes. Following his maiden championship in Kuala Lumpur last year, he lifted his second career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
