BARCELONA/STARNBERG, April 6, 2024
Nick Hardt and Bernabe Zapata Miralles will compete in Sunday’s singles final of the Emilio Sanchez Challenger by Waterdrop, a €74,825 clay-court tournament being held at the Emilio Sanchez Academy in El Prat de Llobregat near Barcelona.
Hardt fought past Javier Barranco Cosano of Spain 6-1, 4-6, 6-0 in the stage of the last four on Saturday. The 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic capitalized on seven of his 10 break-point chances to prevail after one hour and 49 minutes.
Into his first career Challenger final on clay 👏
Nick Hardt fights past Barranco Cosano in three sets to reach the title match in Barcelona!#ATPChallenger | @EmilioSanchezBn pic.twitter.com/8BmrKx3hsu
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) April 6, 2024
Earlier in the day, Zapata Miralles benefited from the retirement of Italian qualifier Lorenzo Giustino. The second-seeded Spaniard took the first set in the tie-break 7-1, then Giustino decided to stop playing.
After 11 triumphs on the ITF World Tennis Tour, including one title win this season in Antalya, Turkey, Hardt is seeking his maiden trophy on the ATP Challenger Tour. Zapata Miralles could clinch his fifth Challenger career title, his first since Meerbusch, Germany two years ago. The pair will meet for the first time.
Spaniards take doubles title
In other action, fourth-seeded home favourites Daniel Rincon and Oriol Roca Batalla outlasted No. 2 seeds Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner of Germany 5-7, 6-4, 11-9 to secure the doubles title. The final lasted one hour and 37 minutes.
By winning their first team title, Rincon and Roca Batalla split €4,250 in prize money and earned 75 ATP Doubles Ranking points.
