A memorable week on the ATP Challenger Tour week noticed Thanasi Kokkinakis win his first Challenger title since Could 2021 and fellow-Aussie Max Purcell rally to win the Chennai Challenger. Italian Giulio Zeppieri additionally triumphed on the Challenger 75 occasion in Cherbourg.
Within the Manama Challenger 125 remaining, Kokkinakis ended the dream run of 19-year-old Abedallah Shelbayh, who was taking part in in simply his third Challenger occasion. The Australian, who’s a five-time Challenger champion, downed Shelbayh 6-1, 6-4 to seize the Bahrain Ministry of Inside Tennis Challenger. Nonetheless, the teenager nonetheless left Bahrain with a bit of historical past.
The Manama crown marks Kokkinakis’ first Challenger triumph since his title in Biella, Italy virtually two years in the past. The 26-year-old, who’s featured within the Netflix sequence Break Level, returns to the High 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, which he briefly fell out of this previous month when he was unable to defend his Adelaide Worldwide 2 crown.
Regardless of the ultimate loss, Shelbayh turned the primary participant from Jordan and the youngest Arab to achieve a Challenger remaining. Within the quarter-final, the Amman native upset prime seed Jason Kubler. Shelbayh graduated from the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2021 earlier than taking part in school tennis on the College of Florida. Following his freshman 12 months, Shelbayh turned professional. The Manama finalist climbs to a career-high 276 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
On the Challenger Cherbourg La Manche, which was celebrating its thirtieth anniversary, Giulio Zeppieri earned his second Challenger title. The 21-year-old Italian, who’s constructing upon his momentum from his career-best season, defeated Titouan Droguet 7-5, 7-6(4) within the championship match.
In 2022, Zeppieri earned his maiden tour-level victory in Umag, the place he rallied from a set right down to defeat Argentine Pedro Cachin. The Rome native additionally made his Grand Slam debut as a qualifier at Roland Garros, the place he defeated Andreas Seppi in qualifying to snap his countryman’s streak of 66 consecutive Grand Slam main-draw appearances.
Giulio Zeppieri on the 2023 Cherbourg Challenger. Credit score: Challenger Cherbourg La Manche
Droguet, 21, superior by way of qualifying and was taking part in in his first Challenger remaining. The Frenchman rises to a career-high 247 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
On the Chennai Open, Max Purcell saved two match factors to defeat Nicolas Moreno De Alboran 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4. After three hours, seven minutes, the Australian turned the second Challenger titlist to avoid wasting a championship level this 12 months (Raul Brancaccio, Noumea).
Max Purcell is topped champion in Chennai, India. Credit score: Suman Chattopadhyay
Following the title in India, the Sydney native climbs to a career-high 155. In 2022, the 24-year-old teamed with countryman Matthew Ebden to win two tour-level doubles titles, together with at Wimbledon. A 3-time Challenger titlist, Purcell paired with Luke Saville in 2019 to win seven Challenger doubles titles.
Moreno de Alboran, who served for the match at 5-4 within the second set, is following up his career-best season. The American triumphed on the 2022 Braga Challenger, the place he superior by way of qualifying en path to his maiden Challenger title.
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