KOBE, November 18, 2018

Tatsuma Ito is the champion of the $50,000 Hyogo Noah Challenger 2018 held at the Miki Disaster Prevention Park in Kobe. The No. 2 seed won Sunday’s all-Japanese singles final against the tournament’s No. 7 Yosuke Watanuki 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Ito converted five of his eight break point opportunities and won 52 per cent of the total points played to prevail after two hours and 10 minutes.

The 30-year-old World No. 163, who reached a career high World No. 60 six years ago, clinched his seventh ATP Challenger trophy, his first since 2012. Ito earns $7,200 in prize money as well as 80 ATP-Ranking points.

Earlier in the day, Goncalo Oliveira of Portugal and Akira Santillan from Australia took the doubles crown. The No. 2 seeded duo rallied past Zhe Li of China and Go Soeda from Japan 2-6, 6-4, 12-10. The final lasted one hour and 12 minutes.