MUNICH, December 24, 2019 (by Dietmar Kaspar)
M15 Doha QAT – Aslan Karatsev takes first title of the season
Aslan Karatsev clinched the trophy of the 6th Qatar M15 Doha tournament, held at Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex, to celebrate his first title of the season.
The top seeded Russian, who was already ranked World No. 153 in 2015, rallied down Belgian No. 4 seed Zizou Bergs in the stage of the last four winning the tiebreak of the deciding set.
Georgia’s Aleksandre Bakshi made the last step to the final by defeating Karl Friberg from Sweden in three sets.
Twenty-six year-old Karatsev struck eight aces in the final to prevail 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 after one hour and 38 minutes. The Vladikavkaz native celebrated his 11th career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Monastir TUN – Arthur Rinderknech prevails
The Magic Tours tournament, hosted at Magic Hotel Skanes Family in Monastir, concluded with the victory of Arthur Rinderknech.
The No. 6 seed of France battled through the bottom half of the draw, beating last week’s Monastir champion and No. 2 seed Skander Mansouri from Tunisia in straight sets.
Thomas Laurent emerged victorious from the all-French semi-final clash versus No. 5 seeded Baptiste Crepatte in two sets.
Twenty-four year-old Rinderknech fired nine aces in the championship match to claim a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory in two hours and 19 minutes. The Gassin-born lifted his third season trophy on Tunisian soil, his fifth on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Antalya TUR – Mircea-Alexandru Jecan captures his third title of the season
Left-handed Mircea-Alexandru Jecan triumphed at the GD Tennis Cup Series, held at Kaya Belek Resort Hotel in Antalya.
The 31-year-old Romanian knocked off the tournament’s second favourite Ivan Nedelko from Russia, who clinched seven trophies this season, in the semi-finals in two sets.
No. 5 seeded Marko Miladinovic from Serbia, who was ranked World No. 2 as a junior last season, received a walkover from Swedish Gustav Hansson in the semi-finals.
Bucharest resident Jecan dropped two service games in the title match and converted five of his seven break-point chances to secure a 6-3, 6-3 win after one hour and 30 minutes. The No. 6 seed celebrated his third career title on the ITF World Tennis Tour, all of them won on clay in 2019.
