HEILBRONN, June 9, 2024
Sumit Nagal of India has clinched the title of the NECKARCUP 2024. The No. 3 seed of the ATP Challenger Tour 100 clay-court event fought past Alexander Ritschard from Switzerland 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-3 in the singles final.
On a sunny Sunday afternoon in Heilbronn, Germany, Nagal capitalized on six of his 15 break-point chances and won 54 per cent of the total points played to secure victory in two hours and 41 minutes.
NECKARCUP Champion 2024! 👏👏👏
🇮🇳 @nagalsumit clinches his 6th ATPChallenger career title following a 6-1 6-7 6-3 victory over Alexander Ritschard 🇨🇭
📹: @seventy4_studio#ATPChallenger #Heilbronn #NECKARCUP pic.twitter.com/5wclsogfzU
— NECKARCUP Heilbronn (@NeckarH) June 9, 2024
“Alex played high level of tennis, especially in the second and third set,” Nagal said during his post match on-court interview. “If I win a match like this, I can be proud of myself. The fight was insane with a lot of great shots and rallies. Thanks for the crowd for coming. It’s very nice to play in front of a full stadium.”
By lifting his sixth ATP Challenger career trophy, his second of the season following his triumph on home soil in Chennai, Nagal earned €16,550 in prize money as well as 100 ATP Ranking points. He will reach a new career-high ranking of World No. 78 on Monday.
“Ranking is the second goal,” Nagal said. “The first is to play the tennis that you want to play and to keep improving. Rankings and points will come.”
The 26-year-old Jhajjar native, who practices at the Nensel Tennis Academy in Peine, Lower Saxony, will next play the Italian clay-court swing in Perugia and Sassuolo.
Arneodo/Blancaneaux triumph in doubles
Earlier in the day, Romain Arneodo of Monaco and Frenchman Geoffrey Blancaneaux were crowned doubles champions. The duo outlasted the all-German combination of Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner 7-6(5), 5-7, 10-3 in one hour and 50 minutes.
Doubles champions crowned! 👑👑
Romain Arneodo 🇲🇨 & Geoffrey Blancaneaux 🇫🇷 claim their first team title, winning the final of the NECKARCUP against Jakob Schnaitter & Mark Wallner 🇩🇪
📹: @seventy4_studio#ATPChallenger #Heilbronn #NECKARCUP pic.twitter.com/bZLEPW0gtv
— NECKARCUP Heilbronn (@NeckarH) June 9, 2024
“We played a really good match tie-break and I am happy to win this title with Romain,” Blancaneaux said.
“It’s not easy for Geoffrey, as he also played singles,” Arneodo explained. “I am really happy. To win the title here was our deal. We did it. I am glad we made it.”
By winning their fist team title, Arneodo and Blancaneaux split a prize purse of €6,845 and collected 100 ATP Doubles Ranking points.
NECKARCUP Anniversary
The 10th edition of the NECKARCUP was held at the Tennis Club Trappensee, one of the few remaining clubs on the ATP Challenger Tour to be founded in the 1800s.
🔟 years of NECKARCUP in Heilbronn! 🍾🍾
Celebrating our anniversary with the ATP. 🤗
📸 @seventy4_studio pic.twitter.com/k1JejRJtOw
— NECKARCUP Heilbronn (@NeckarH) June 6, 2024
Heilbronn is a vibrant city in southwestern Germany, situated in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Nestled along the banks of the Neckar River, Heilbronn is known for its rich history, scenic vineyards, and dynamic economic landscape. With a population of around 125,000, it is a thriving urban center that seamlessly blends tradition with modernity.
One of Heilbronn’s most celebrated attributes is its wine culture. The city is at the heart of one of Germany’s premier wine-growing regions, the Württemberg wine region. Vineyards stretch across the hillsides surrounding the city, producing acclaimed wines, particularly red varieties such as Trollinger and Lemberger.
The NECKARCUP will return next year and is scheduled for June 1 to 8, 2025.
