POTCHEFSTROOM, February 14, 2021
Benjamin Bonzi claimed his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title at the North-West University in Potchefstroom with a straight sets victory over Liam Broady from Great Britain. The 24-year-old French player dropped just one set all week en route to the final.
The French second seed prevailed 7-5, 6-4 in a match that lasted one hour and 40 minutes to claim the Potch Open title on Sunday.
A moment @BenjaminBonzi will never forget. 😊
The 🇫🇷 is the champion in Potchefstroom, taking his first #ATPChallenger title. Bravo, Ben! pic.twitter.com/qmK3YhJMeD
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) February 14, 2021
“I am very happy; this is my second final of the year and fourth in total – I lost three finals. I am really happy for making it today, it was not an easy match. This is a hot weather,” said Bonzi.
“It is never easy to play against Liam (Broady), he had a good week, and I am very happy I got the win.
“The consistency was key for me today, and I know the conditions here (Potchefstroom) as I was here last year. I know it is important to serve very well.
“I am disappointed though that I cannot go see Lions at the Lions Park, but people here are very nice, and I am very happy to come back to South Africa.
Bonzi is no stranger to South Africa, the Frenchman won the men’s ITF $25,000 World Tour singles and doubles titles in Potchefstroom last year. He took away from Potchefstroom $7,200 in prize money as well as 80 ATP Ranking points.
Parrizas-Dias wins Ilana Kloss International event
In the women’s final, Nuria Parrizas-Dias of Spain survived a second set scare to beat Anna Bondar of Hungary in a superb final.
The Spanish sixth seed held off her Hungarian opponent’s stunning second-set fightback to claim a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 success and lift the Ilana Kloss International trophy.
Parrizas-Dias breezed past Bondar in the first set, taking the spoils 6-1 in just under 37 minutes. It looked like the Spanish was on a mission from the first serve as her calculated winner and clever baseline play gave her an early advantage.
Bondar though would not be defeated easily as she took the second set 6-4. The Spanish was increasingly frustrated at this point and needed to regroup with a deciding set still to play.
Things were tight with both players trading serves in the beginning of the deciding set but the Parrizas-Dias kept her momentum at crucial times to win the title.
Champion in Potchefstroom. 🏆
🇪🇸Nuria Parrizas-Diaz defeats 🇭🇺Anna Bondar 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to win her third @ITFTennis $25,000 World Tour title at the Ilana Kloss International.
Congrats, @NuriaParrizas! #IlanaKlossInternational I #ITFWorldTennisTour pic.twitter.com/PXGPp7kLIn
— Tennis South Africa (@TennisSA) February 14, 2021
The second week of the Potch Open and Ilana Kloss International takes place from Monday, February 15, to Sunday, February 21 at the North-West University in Potchefstroom.
