NOUMEA, January 9, 2016

Adrian Mannarino is the first champion on the ATP Challenger Tour 2016. The top-seeded Frenchman defeated Nouméa’s second best ranked player and 2014 finalist Alejandro Falla at the 13th edition of the $75,000 BNP Paribas de Nouvelle-Calédonie on Saturday evening. The world number 47 justified his role as the tournament’s favourite, winning the final 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.

Mannarino, who was the only player in Nouméa ranked inside the top 50, fired 14 aces and capitalized on five of his seven break point opportunities to seal victory in one hour and 50 minutes.

ATP Challenger final in Nouméa

The 27-year-old Frenchman claims his second title in Nouméa after he had lifted the trophy here in 2013. Mannarino takes away the first 100 ATP ranking points of the new season as well as $10,000 in prize money to start his Australian campaign next, participating at the Apia International ATP 250 event in Sydney.

Doubles finalists in Nouméa

On Friday, the top-ranked French combination of Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin downed their fellow countrymen Gregoire Barrere and Tristan Lamasine 7-6, 3-6, 10-5 to capture the doubles title.

The 2014 French Open champions just posted on twitter later: “We are back!”