MONTERREY, March 8, 2020
The final at the Abierto GNP Seguros are set. Adrian Mannarino and Aleksandar Vukic will go head to head in Sunday’s title match at the Fraccionamiento Club Sonoma Residencial in Monterrey.
Mannarino eased past US-American Ulises Blanch in the semi-finals, winning 6-2, 6-4. The top seed of the $108,320 ATP Challenger hard-court tournament saved the only break point he faced and capitalized on three of his own five break point chances to advance in one hour and nine minutes.
Earlier on Estadio GNP Seguros, Aleksandar Vukic had to go the distance against No. 16 Ernesto Escobedo from the United States. The 23-year-old Australian fired 31 aces and won 10 points more than his opponent to secure a 6-7(3), 7-6(5), 7-6(4) victory in two hours and 22 minutes.
Welcome to the big show, @Vuki_SMASH23!
Aleks Vukic reaches his first #ATPChallenger final in Monterrey, striking a career-high 3⃣1⃣ aces to edge Ernesto Escobedo 67(3) 76(5) 76(4).@Abierto_GNP pic.twitter.com/3N2shHrdZB
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) March 8, 2020
Mannarino, who made it to the championship match without dropping a set, is vying for his 14th career title on the ATP Challenger Tour, his first since Quimper, France in 2017. Vukic, currently sitting on a career-high World No. 244, could lift his maiden Challenger trophy.
Mannarino won the only previous meeting between the two 2017 in Noumea, New Caledonia in straight sets.
Sunday’s action will start with the doubles final when No. 4 seeds Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos from Brazil will take on Karol Drzewiecki of Poland and Goncalo Oliveira from Portugal. Luz and Matos defeated N. Sriram Balji and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan of India 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and 11 minutes. Drzewiecki and Oliveira battled past US-American Robert Galloway and Hans Hach Verdugo of Mexico 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 15-13. The encounter lasted one hour and 46 minutes.
