MONTREAL/STARNBERG, November 21, 2023 (Tennis Canada Press Release)
The final professional event on Canadian soil in 2023 took place last week in Drummondville, QC, as the ATP Challenger Tour made one final stop in the country. Zizou Bergs, the sixth seed from Belgium, won the Drummondville National Bank Challenger singles title, defeating second-seeded Australian James Duckworth in straight sets 6-4, 7-5.
It is the sixth title of Bergs’ career. He dropped just one set during his run, that being in the quarterfinals when he knocked off top seed Dominik Koepfer of Germany in the thriller 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. The 24-year-old Belgian received a free pass to the final when Michael Vrbensky from the Czech Republic withdrew prior to their semi-final. Bergs earned $10,840 in prize money as well as 75 ATP Ranking points. Duckworth had a tougher run to the final, needing three sets to get through each of his first three matches.
Sealed in style 😎#ATPChallenger | @ZizouBergs pic.twitter.com/tx2Y9JFwm8
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 19, 2023
The Canadians failed to reproduce their success from the week before in Calgary, as none of the seven in the singles draw managed to reach the quarterfinals. Alexis Galarneau, Liam Draxl, Dan Martin, and Benjamin George all won their opening matches before falling in the second round.
Draxl did nearly lift a trophy for the second consecutive week, reaching the doubles final with Brit Giles Hussey, but the pair lost 10-8 in the match tiebreak to second-seeds Andre Goransson and Toby Samuel
