Challenger
#NextGenATP Gaubas survives three-hour last, wins first Challenger title
Fearnley claims second title in third Challenger look this yr
August 12, 2024
Antonio Ros
Vilius Gaubas wins his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Cordenons, Italy.
By ATP Employees
#NextGenATP Vilius Gaubas tossed his racquet in reduction and threw his hat down on the Italian crimson clay. Overlaying his face together with his fingers, the 19-year-old had simply clinched a milestone second in his younger profession. Gaubas on Sunday gained the Serena Wines 1881 – Acqua Maniva Tennis Cup, his first ATP Challenger Tour title.
Gaubas, the youngest of three Lithuanian champions in Challenger historical past (since 1978), rallied previous Spaniard Carlos Taberner 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in a three-hour, two-minute title match amidst humid situations. The teenager did not serve the match out at 5-3 within the decider, however shortly rebounded to triumph in his third Challenger last.
“Superb sensations,” Gaubas stated in his on-court interview. “I misplaced the primary set, it was very troublesome. Carlos was enjoying excellent. It was extremely popular, humid. Then in the long run, I simply tried to take pleasure in it and play my finest. Successful it was a tremendous feeling.”
Seventh within the PIF ATP Dwell Race To Jeddah, Gaubas is aiming for his maiden journey to the 20-and-under Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by PIF, which runs from 18-22 December.
“For the top of the yr, I feel one among my objectives is to enter the Subsequent Gen event and hopefully I can get into US Open qualifying,” stated Gaubas, who’s at a career-high World No. 186 within the PIF ATP Rankings.
Jacob Fearnley can also be at a career-high, No. 162, following his title run on the Lincoln Challenger. Having competed in simply three Challenger tournaments this yr, the 23-year-old who graduated from Texas Christian College in Might has lifted the trophy at two of these appearances. The Briton raced previous #NextGenATP Coleman Wong 6-4, 6-2 to win the hard-court occasion in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Jacob Fearnley celebrates successful the Lincoln Challenger.”>Jacob Fearnley celebrates successful the Lincoln Challenger. Credit score: Lincoln Challenger
Fearnley gained his first Challenger title in June, when he triumphed on the Nottingham grass, claiming the trophy because the then-World No. 525. He gained his first main main-draw match at Wimbledon and took a set off seven-time champion Novak Djokovic within the second spherical.
The in-form Hugo Dellien collected his third Challenger title previously two months with a dominant run on the Bonn Open in Germany. The 31-year-old Bolivian, who beat Maximilian Marterer 7-6(2), 6-0 within the last, didn’t drop a set throughout 5 matches.
Hugo Dellien wins the Challenger 75 occasion in Bonn, Germany.”>Hugo Dellien wins the Challenger 75 occasion in Bonn, Germany. Credit score: Bonn Open
Argentine Facundo Mena gained his fourth Challenger title and first this season on the DirecTV Open Bogota, the place the sixth seed defeated Brazilian Mateus Alves 6-4, 7-5 within the last. Mena, 31, went one step additional than his two last appearances in June (Santa Cruz, Ibague).
Facundo Mena in motion on the Bogota Challenger.”>Facundo Mena in motion on the Bogota Challenger Credit score: DirecTV Open Bogota
