SEVILLA/STARNBERG, September 8, 2024
Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain has captured the title of the LXI Copa Sevilla, his third consecutive triumph at the Real Club De Tenis Betis. The top seed of the ATP Challenger Tour 125 tournament, which was held for the first time on red clay, defeated third-seeded German Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 7-5 in Saturday’s singles final.
Carballes Baena converted four of his seven break-point opportunities and won 55 per cent of the total points played to secure victory in one hour and 51 minutes.
2022 ☑️
2023 ☑️
2024 ☑️@Robertocarba93 does it again! 🥳#ATPChallenger | @CopaSevillaCh pic.twitter.com/gnJ8PLWfIq— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 7, 2024
“I think today I played my best match of the week. I knew Dani was going to be a tough opponent, and in the second set, he tried to change his style of play, and I had some difficult moments, but I’m happy to have maintained my level and come out on top at the end of the set,” said Carballes Baena.
The World No. 55 has tied the best winning streaks in the tournament’s history with three-time champions Pedro Osete and Daniel Gimeno-Traver. Carballes Baena clinched his 13th Challenger career title, his second of the season after lifting the trophy at the Brawo Open in Braunschweig, Germany in July.
“This title is unforgettable. It’s something that will always stay with me, especially seeing my whole family in the stands cheering me on,” Carballes Baena said and added that his main goal for the season is to finish among the top 50 players in the world by the end of the year. The 31-year-old from Granada €20,300 in prize money as well as 125 ATP Ranking points.
This year’s Copa Sevilla was no longer played on albero, the traditional yellow clay typical of Andalusia. It has switched to the more common red clay surface used in most tennis tournaments. While albero holds a deep cultural significance, especially in local bullrings and tennis courts, the move to red clay aligns the event with the majority of European clay-court tournaments.
