FÜRTH

The 36th edition of the international ATP Challenger in Fürth concluded in sunny and hot conditions with an all – Spanish doubles final when Gerard Granollers and Jordi Samper-Montana took on Adrian Menendez-Maceiras and Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo. The first set became an even affair with break point opportunities on both sides but no team was able to capitalize on them. Consequently, the tie-break had to decide in which Granollers and Samper had the better ending winning 7-1. In the second frame, it was again the more experienced combination, who already won a doubles title together in Kenitra last year, who played the more solid game. Two breaks and Granollers, who returned to Fürth only this morning after he had attended his brother’s doubles final in Paris yesterday, served out winning 7-6, 6-2 in 78 minutes.

Doubles Ceremony

Gerard Granollers & Jordi Samper Montana

The Spanish doubles champions were taking pictures afterwards

In front of 750 spectators the singles final took place with third seeded Tobias Kamke facing Inigo Cervantes for the first time. The match wasn’t of best quality, maybe also due to the fact that the Spaniard struggled with physical problems and hit a lot of unforced errors during the encounter. The German was in total control, playing more aggressively and after 83 minutes Kamke won his sixth ATP Challenger title, the first on clay as well as on home soil.

Tobias Kamke during the final

“I think I played a very solid and consistent week here in Fürth, which was the key to success,” the winner said. “I practiced at home after I had lost in Paris and so I was able to show some good tennis right from the beginning of the tournament here. The title is also very special for me, as I finally could win a German tournament after I had lost in two finals before,” a happy Kamke added. “Now I’ll drive home and on Tuesday or Wednesday I will go to Eastbourne preparing for the grass season and then it’s time for Wimbledon,” the German said about his further schedule.

Inigo Cervantes and Tobias Kamke

Tobias Kamke

“I started not too bad into today’s match. The first games were all very close and Tobias was also a bit lucky in one game but then he started to play more aggressively and better than me,” Cervantes admitted. “I also felt some pain in my abdominal when I was serving, which scared me a little bit and when you’re not at one hundred percent you cannot win a final,” the former world number 130, who had to deal with a couple of injuries in the last years, added. “I am going home now to Barcelona for a week of practice. Then I will go on to Wimbledon and play the qualification. In 2012 I played pretty well there winning the opening round. I try to recover quickly and hope that I can play a good tournament,” Cervantes said.

Inigo Cervantes