MAIA/STARNBERG, December 1, 2024
Damir Dzumhur celebrated his sixth and final title of the season by winning the seventh edition of the Maia Open, an ATP Challenger Tour 100 tournament organized by the Portuguese Tennis Federation and the Maia City Council from November 24 to December 1 at the Maia Tennis Complex.
In Sunday’s singles final, No. 3 seed Dzumhur defeated fourth favourite Francesco Passaro of Italy 6-3, 6-4. The World No. 106 from Bosnia and Herzegovina converted five of his 10 break-point chances and won 54 per cent of the total points played to seal victory in 82 minutes.
Damir Dzumhur improves to 6-0 in @ATPChallenger finals this year with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Francesco Passaro to lift the #MaiaOpen title — his 14th at this level.
Phenomenal week to climb +20 spots in the ranking and finish the season close to the top 80. pic.twitter.com/r0Y32APdjU
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) December 1, 2024
“Perhaps he started a bit tense, but he raised his level in the second set and frequently approached the net,” Dzumhur said. “He played more aggressively, likely knowing that was the only way to beat me since I played very well this week. I didn’t make many mistakes or give away points, but I was aggressive whenever I had opportunities.
“Staying calm in crucial moments was vital. I avoided rushing, didn’t make mistakes, and sometimes waited for him to make errors, which often happens when playing aggressively.”
The 32-year-old Sarajevo native lifted his 14th ATP Challenger Tour career trophy and earned €16,550 in prize money as well as 100 ATP Ranking points.
“It was the best possible end to the year. I’m very happy, and this means a lot to me. It’s probably one of the results I cherish most in my entire career,” Dzumhur concluded, eager to return home to celebrate.
