Kovalik To Face Caruso For Sanchez-Casal Challenger Title

Jozef Kovalik

EL PRAT DE LLOBREGAT, October 5, 2019

Jozef Kovalik and Salvatore Caruso will compete in Sunday’s singles final of the Sanchez-Casal Head by NH Hotel Group. Kovalik continued his great run of form by defeating No. 14 seeded Italian Alessandro Giannessi 6-3, 7-6(5).

The 26-year-old from Slovakia saved eight of the nine break points he faced and converted three of his own five chances to prevail after one hour and 57 minutes.

“It’s an amazing tournament for me and a really good tournament for all the players with nice courts. I am really enjoying every match,” Kovalik said.

Later on Saturday, Caruso knocked off No. 2 seed Jaume Munar of Spain winning 6-4, 7-5. The No. 4 seed from Italy won 52 per cent of the total points played to secure victory in two hours and 18 minutes.

Kovalik, who is on a 11-match win streak on the ATP Challenger Tour since becoming a father following his triumph at the Pekao Szczecin Open, is bidding for his fifth career title. Caruso could lift his second trophy after Como last year. The pair will meet for the third time with their head-to-head record tied at 1-1.

Simone Bolelli of Italy and David Vega Hernandez from Spain clinched the doubles title without dropping a set. The No. 4 seeds defeated Spaniard Sergio Martos Gomes and Ramkumar Ramanathan of India 6-4, 7-5 in the final. The encounter lasted one hour and 36 minutes.