MUNICH, February 19, 2020 (by Dietmar Kaspar)
M25 Barnstaple GBR – Kacper Zuk crowns perfect week
The GB Pro Series Barnstaple, hosted at Tarka Tennis Center, concluded with the triumph of Kacper Zuk. In addition to his championship in the singles competition, the Pole captured the doubles trophy together with his countryman Jan Zielinski.
The No. 5 seed made the last step to the final by defeating No. 7 seeded Patrik Niklas-Salminen from Finland in three sets.
No. 6 seeded Christopher Heyman from Belgium, who clinched the title in Veigy-Foncenex two weeks ago, stopped the run of British Aidan McHugh in the semi-finals in three sets. Nineteen-year-old McHugh was ranked ITF No. 8 as a junior.
In front of more than 200 spectators, 21-year-old Zuk fired 13 aces and won 83 per cent of his first-service points to seal a 7-6, 6-3 win in the title match after one hour and 20 minutes in their first meeting.
During the winners ceremony, Zuk said: “This is my first time playing in Britain since playing a junior event when I was 14. I am obviously very pleased to win the title, and have thoroughly enjoyed my week here in Barnstaple. Everyone has been so friendly and helpful, and it’s been great to play in front of such a big crowd with first class ball crew too.”
Zuk, who represented Poland at the inaugural ATP Cup in Australia, lifted his fourth career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M25 Naples USA – Ronald Slobodchikov triumphs in Florida
Ronald Slobodchikov won the championship of the $25,000 Sanchez-Casal sponsored by German BMW of Naples, held at the Sanchez-Casal Academy.
The 26-year-old Russian eased past Cristian Rodriguez from Colombia in the stage of the final four in straight sets.
Alejandro Gomez from Colombia emerged victorious from the semi-final clash of the qualifiers, beating Evan Zhu from the United States in two sets.
No. 8 seeded Slobodchikov withstood 10 aces from his 28-year-old rival in the championship match to advance after two hours and 21 minutes by the score of 5-7, 6-1, 6-4. The Krasnoyarsk native celebrated his sixth clay-court trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
CONGRATULATIONS TO Ronald Slobodchikov 🏆on winning the $25,000 Men’s Sanchez-Casal BMW of naples @BMWofNaples good job Alejandro Gomez 🥈 placed finalist on the tournament of #itfworldtennistour A special thank you to everyone that helped on this amazing tournament ! pic.twitter.com/S01Aj51xji
— SanchezCasalFlorida (@ASCFlorida) February 16, 2020
M25 Aktobe KAZ – Alexey Zakharov victorious in Kazakhstan
Alexey Zakharov is the champion of the M25 Aktobe tournament, hosted at Tennis Center ACE.
In the all-Russian semi-finals, the Moscow-born advanced with a straight-set win against qualifier Alexander Igoshin.
No. 5 seeded Evgenii Tiurnev rallied down top seed Konstantin Kravchuk, who was ranked World No. 78 in 2016, in two sets.
In the title match, 19-year-old Zakharov made two points less than his 22-year-old opponent but secured a 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 victory in two hours and seven minutes. The No. 7 seed lifted his third singles trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M25 Lima PER – Facundo Arguello claims another title on clay
No. 8 seeded Facundo Arguello triumphed at the M25 Lima tournament, which was held at the Jockey Club del Peru.
The 27-year-old Argentine, who was ranked World No. 8 as a junior, knocked off the tournament’s top favourite Pedro Sakamoto from Brazil in the stage of the last four in three sets.
Chilean No. 4 seed Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera, the former No. 5 in the ITF Juniors Ranking, booked the spot in the final with a three-set win versus Mariano Kestelboim from Argentina.
Cordoba-born Arguello capitalized on three of his six break-point opportunities in the championship match without losing a service game to claim a 6-2, 6-4 win after one hour and 33 minutes. The former No. 104 of the world celebrated his 12th title on the ITF World Tennis Tour in addition to his four championships on the ATP Challenger Tour. All of his title wins came on clay court.
M15 Palmanova ESP – Nikolas Sanchez Izquierdo earns back-to-back titles
Following his triumph in Cairo last week, Nikolas Sanchez Izquierdo clinched the trophy of the M15 Palmanova tournament, hosted at Guillermo Vilas Tennis Academy.
The 20-year-old Spaniard edged out German No. 4 seed Peter Heller in the semi-finals in two clear sets.
The tournament’s top favourite Jules Okala from France made the last step to the final by defeating No. 3 seed Sebastian Baez of Argentina, who was ranked World No. 1 as a junior, in straight sets.
No. 2 seeded Sanchez Izquierdo won 74 per cent of the first-service points in the title match to prevail 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in two hours and 18 minutes. The Barcelona native lifted his fourth career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Grenoble FRA – Gleb Sakharov prevails in all-French affair
Gleb Sakharov took the title of the 2ème Trophèe de la Ville de Grenoble, held at Grenoble Tennis Club.
The Tashkent-born, who is representing France, emerged victorious from the all-French semi-final battle against qualifier Alexandre Peyrot in two sets.
No. 6 seeded Frenchman Antoine Cornut Chauvinc edged out Antoine Bellier from Switzerland in the stage of the final four in straight sets.
Unseeded Sakharov withstood nine aces from his opponent to win the championship match after one hour and 46 minutes by the score of 6-3, 7-6. The 31-year-old, who is living in Nantes, celebrated his 12th singles trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Cancun MEX – Joao Lucas Reis da Silva captures another title in Cancun
Joao Lucas Reis da Silva got victorious at the M15 Cancun tournament, hosted at Cancun Tennis Academy.
The Brazilian No. 8 seed cruised past No. 4 seeded Gabriel Petit from France in the semi-finals in two sets.
No. 3 seeded Argentine Maximiliano Estevez advanced to the final with a straight-set win versus Justin Roberts from the Bahamas.
Nineteen-year-old Reis da Silva converted three of his eight break-point chances to secure a 7-6, 6-1 victory in the two-hour title match. The Sao Paulo resident lifted his third career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour, his second in Cancun.
M15 Antalya TUR – Riccardo Bonadio clinches his first title of the season
The Megasaray Tennis Academy Cup 2, held at Club Megasaray in Belek, concluded with the championship of Riccardo Bonadio.
The 26-year-old Italian eased past No. 7 seeded Hungarian Fabian Marozsan in the stage of the last four in three sets.
Argentinean qualifier Juan Pablo Paz took the last step to the final by beating Naoki Tajima from Japan, who was ranked World No. 8 as a junior, in three sets.
No. 2 seeded Bonadio won 87 per cent of his first-service points and struck six aces to close out the championship match 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in two hours and seven minutes. The San Vito al Tagliamento native celebrated his ninth career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Heraklion GRE – Clement Geens triumphs in all-Belgian affair
Twenty-three-year-old Clement Geens from Belgium prevailed at the M15 Heraklion tournament, hosted at Lyttos Beach Tennis Academy, to lift his sixth career trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
The former No. 8 in the ITF Juniors Rankings battled through the top half of the draw, defeating Alexis Musialek from France in three sets.
No. 2 seeded Zizou Bergs booked the spot in the all-Belgian final with a three-set win versus Billy Harris from Great Britain.
Unseeded Geens came back from a set down in the title match to seal a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory after two hours and 11 minutes.
M15 Monastir TUN – Aziz Kijametovic wins maiden title in Tunisia
Aziz Kijametovic is the champion of the Magic Tours tournament, held at Magic Hotel Skanes Family in Monastir.
In the semi-finals without any seeded player, the qualifier from Bosnia and Herzegovina rallied past Tunisian wildcard entry Moez Echargui in straight sets.
Joao Monteiro from Portugal got victorious in the semi-final clash of the qualifiers, beating Swiss Remy Bertola in two sets.
Twenty-three-year-old Kijametovic fired 23 aces in the championship match and won 83 per cent of his first-service points secured a 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 victory after two hours and 29 minutes. He celebrated his maiden title on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Sharm El Sheikh EGY – Alessandro Bega captures back-to-back titles
Following his championship at the same place last week, Alessandro Bega clinched the trophy of the M15 Sharm El Sheikh tournament, which was hosted at Soho Square.
In the semi-finals, the 29-year-old Italian benefited from the retirement of Russian teenager Egor Agafonov, who entered the tournament by his current junior ranking, at the score of 4-0.
Czech No. 5 seed Marek Gengel advanced to the final following a straight-set win against Oleksii Krutykh from the Ukraine.
Winning six points more than his 24-year-old opponent in their second consecutive meeting in the title match at Sharm El Sheikh, No. 2 seeded Bega claimed a 6-4, 7-5 victory after one hour and 28 minutes. The Cernusco Sul Naviglio-born lifted his 16th singles trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour, his third in 2020.
