MUNICH, April 24, 2019 (by Dietmar Kaspar)
M15 Orange Park USA – In-form Dmitry Popko takes another trophy
Dmitry Popko is still the man to beat on ITF World Tennis Tour. The 22-year-old St. Petersburg native, who is representing Kazakhstan, clinched the title of the Eagle Landing Tennis Classic, which was hosted in the South-West of Jacksonville/Florida.
Unseeded Popko dominated the bottom half of the draw without dropping a set en route to the final. He opened the competition with a victory against US-American qualifier John Harrison Richmond, followed by the win versus No. 3 seed Felipe Mantilla from Colombia. In the stage of the final eight, he defeated teenager Adrian Andreev, who is currently ranked No. 3 in ITF juniors, before he knocked off Jose Olivares from the Dominican Republic in the semi-finals.
Runner-up Angelo Velotti from Argentina started the tournament with victories against the Americans Paul C. Oosterbaan, teenager Cannon Kingsley and No. 5 seed Alexander Ritschard. In the semi-finals, he defeated 18-year-old Brazilian Mateus Alves, who entered the competition with his current ITF Junior ranking as well as 17-year-old Cannon Kingsley.
Converting seven of his 10 break chances in the final encounter, Popko sealed the win after two hours and two minutes with 6-0, 5-7, 6-3. He extended the number of season wins to 40 out of 46 matches by lifting six trophies.
Popko celebrated his 17th career singles title on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
@ITF_Tennis – Match Won until 22/04/19
40 @Dmitrypopko
27 Sandro EHRAT
26 Lukas KLEIN
24 @PolToledoBague
24 Felipe MELIGENI RODRIGUES ALVES
23 @CorentinDenolly
23 @HoytEvan
23 Skander MANSOURI
21 Christopher HEYMAN
21 Jumpei YAMASAKI
21 Christopher O’CONNELL pic.twitter.com/8kbZHSomfR— Diego Nebreda (@Mamiro10) 22. April 2019
M25 Shymkent KAZ – Roman Safiullin captures back-to-back titles in Shymkent
Top seeded Roman Safiullin got another win at the Shymkent Open 2019, held at the National Tennis Center. Winning the second consecutive title at the same place, the 21-year-old Russian lifted his third trophy of the season and his 19th overall on ITF World Tennis Tour.
The former No. 2 in ITF Junior rankings took the last step to the final with a three-set victory versus 19-year-old countryman and No. 3 seed Alen Avidzba in the semi-finals.
Runner-up Vladyslav Manafov from the Ukraine interrupted the comeback-run of previous ATP No. 33 Andrey Golubev, who is representing Kazakhstan, in the stage of the final eight with a straight-sets win. The 25-year old left hander set on top an epic semi-final victory against Russian Alexander Vasilenko, winning 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 after three hours and 44 minutes.
Capitalizing on four of his eight break point chances, dropping only one service game of his own, Safiullin sealed a 7-5, 6-3 win in the final after one hour and 25 minutes.
M25 Santa Margherita di Pula ITA – Clay-court specialist Christian Lindell clinches his first season title
Rio de Janeiro native Christian Lindell, representing Sweden, celebrated his first title of the season at ASD Fortevillage in Santa Margherita di Pula.
The 27-year-old, who upset top seeded Jan Satral from the Czech Republic in the stage of the final four after three hours with a 7-6, 1-6, 6-4 win, emerged victorious from the title match against French Hugo Gaston.
18-year-old Gaston, who was ranked No. 2 in ITF Juniors last year, defeated Italian No. 2 seed Enrico Dalla Valle in the second round in two clear sets.
Lindell, who entered the competition with his current ITF ranking, finished the single-sided final encounter with 6-2, 6-0, converting six of his seven break points. After 83 minutes, he lifted his 11th trophy on ITF World Tennis Tour, all of them won on clay courts
M25 Abuja NGR – Tom Jomby seals another win on hard-court
The Dayak Tennis Championships, held at Abuja Tennis Club, concluded with the victory of 28-year-old French Tom Jomby.
The No. 4 seed, who defeated top seeded Maximilian Neuchrist from Austria in the stage of the final eight in a three-setter, met Ukrainian Danylo Kalenichenko in the final.
The 25-year-old Kalenichenko rallied past great serving US-American Peter Kobelt, who strucked 16 aces in eight service games, by straight sets in the semi-finals.
Without facing any break points, Jomby broke his opponent twice, getting the win after 64 minutes 6-1, 7-6. The Frenchman lifted his sixth troph of the ITF World Tennis Tour, all of them achieved on hard courts.
🇳🇬 Cette semaine j’enchaîne un 3e tournoi à Abuja avec j’espère la même issue ! 👊🏻👌🏻 Merci pour votre soutien ! pic.twitter.com/92l88ER3aY
— Tom Jomby (@TomJomby) 21. April 2019
M15 Guayaquil ECU – Unseeded teenager Antonio Cayetano March captures maiden title on ITF Pro Circuit
18-year-old Antonio Cayetano March got the crown of the ITF M15 Guayaquil, held at the Centro Nacional De Tenis.
After defeating top seeded Maximiliano Estevez from Argentina in three sets in the semi-finals, the Ecuadorian followed the victory against 20-year-old Hungarian Matyas Fuele in the title match.
Lasting one hour and 31 minutes, March secured a 6-4, 6-4 win to lift his first trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Cairo EGY – First title on clay for local hero Karim-Mohamed Maamoun
Karim-Mohamed Maamoun clinched the trophy of the Egypt Men’s Future, hosted at Al-Solaimaneyah Tennis Center in Cairo. It was the first title on clay for the Cairo native, all other triumphs were captured on Egyptian hard courts.
Top-seeded Mahmoud dominated the tournament without dropping a set. In the final, he met Spanish No. 2 seed Pol Toledo Bague, who defeated No. 4 seed Matthieu Perchicot from France in a tough three-set semi-final battle, 7-5, 6-7 6-2, that lasted three hours and four minutes
Breaking his opponent five times by dropping only one own service game, 28-year-old Maamoun sealed the final win after one hour and 27 minutes to lift his 14th overall trophy on ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Cancun MEX – Hugo Grenier celebrates his second win of the season
The Cancun Tennis Cup, which was held at Cancun Tennis Academy, culminated in the triumph of No. 2 seeded Hugo Grenier.
The 23-year-old French, who battled down Belgian No. 5 seed Michael Geerts in a tough three-set clash after two hours and 43 minutes in the semi-finals, faced Italian No. 6 seed Frigerio Lorenzo in the title match.
Grenier was the more efficient competitor in the final. He converted six of his ten break points, while his 30-year-old opponent capitalized on six of his 20 break chances. After two hours and 54 minutes Grenier saved the victory with 2-6, 7-6, 6-2 to lift his third trophy on ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Madrid ESP – Corentin Denolly gets second trophy of the season
Corentin Denolly was the dominating player at the XI Open Internacional Villa de Madrid, hosted at Club de Tenis Alameda. The 21-year-old French clinched the title without losing a set during the competition.
The former No. 3 in Ithe TF Junior rankings upset top seeded Russian Ivan Gakhov in straight sets in the stage of the final eight. In the title match, he competed versus 22-year-old Johan Nikles from Switzerland.
Converting six of his 12 break point chances, left handed Denolly got an easy 6-3, 6-2 win in the final. After 75 minutes he could lift his sixth trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
🏆 Une super semaine à Madrid ! Pas un seul set perdu et mon 2e titre de la saison, le premier sur terre ! Une belle récompense ! Cette semaine, on retourne à l’entraînement ! Merci pour tout vos messages ! pic.twitter.com/F6RJ3LT9uR
— Corentin Denolly (@CorentinDenolly) 21. April 2019
M15 Tabarka TUN – Maxime Hamou clinches second consecutive title in Tabarka
In-form Maxime Hamou captured another title at Thabraca Magic Hotel in Tabarka. After last weeks triumph at the same place, he prevailed the competition without dropping a set during the tournament.
The 23-year-old French, who defeated Italian No. 2 seed Jacopo Berrettini in the second round in two sets, met top seeded Javier Barranco Cosano from Spain in the title match.
Hamou, who was ranked ITF No. 8 as a junior, was victorious against the 20-year-old Spaniard, winning 7-6, 6-4 in one hour and 51 minutes, to lift his 10th trophy on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
M15 Antalya TUR – Christopher Heyman captures second title of the season
No. 3 seeded Christopher Heyman got the crown of the Tennis Organisation Cup, held at Starlight Resort Hotel in Antalya.
In the title match, the 25-year-old Belgian rallied past No. 6 seed Christopher O’Connell from Australia in a tough three-set battle. Lasting two hours and 45 minutes, Heymann got the comeback win 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 to lift his 14th trophy on the ITF World Tennis tour.
Runner-up O’Connel, who reached his fourth consecutive title match on the ITF Pro Circuit, suffered the fourth final defeat in a row.
