NUR-SULTAN, October 6, 2019
Illya Marchenko is the champion of the Nur-Sultan Challenger. The unseeded Ukrainian defeated No. 5 seed Yannick Maden from Germany, who was pursuing his maiden crown on the ATP Challenger Tour, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in Sunday’s singles final.
Marchenko advanced to the championship match with wins over Austrian Maximilian Neuchrist, Matteo Viola of Italy, Russia’s Teymuraz Gabshvili and Konstantin Kravchuk as well as Ruben Bemelmans from Belgium. The 32-year-old from the Ukraine struck seven aces and won 65 per cent of his first-service points to secure victory in two hours and 11 minutes.
Two years in the making…@imarchello returns to the winners’ circle for the first time since 2017, claiming a seventh #ATPChallenger 🏆 in Nur-Sultan. pic.twitter.com/h5W0ZJoltb
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 6, 2019
By lifting his seventh ATP Challenger trophy, his first since Izmir 2017, Marchenko took away from Kazakhstan $7,200 in prize money as well as 80 ATP Ranking points.
On Saturday, Harri Heliovaara of Finland and Illya Marchenko took the doubles title. The duo defeated No. 4 seeds Karol Drzewiecki and Szymon Walkow from Poland 6-4, 6-4. The encounter lasted 61 minutes.
“It was an absolutely amazing week for me with exciting and close matches,” Marchenko stated in a video message. “Thanks to my partner Harri for winning the doubles title and thanks to everyone for your support. See you on the Challenger Tour!”
