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ATPTour.com’s annual season-in-review sequence seems again at 2022’s finest matches, greatest upsets, most dramatic comebacks and extra. Right this moment, we characteristic the first-time ATP Tour title winners of the season.
Securing a match win on the ATP Tour is difficult sufficient, however stringing collectively a sequence of back-to-back victories throughout a single week to raise a trophy requires even higher technical consistency, bodily self-discipline and psychological focus.
This yr, 12 gamers managed that feat for the primary time, hitting a milestone that can perpetually stand out within the context of their careers. As a part of our annual season-in-review sequence, ATPTour.com displays on the lineup of stars who clinched their maiden ATP Tour title in 2022.
Thanasi Kokkinakis, Adelaide
Kokkinakis clinched an emotional victory in his hometown on the Adelaide International 2 in January, a reward for the Australian’s dedication and laborious work after a sequence of devastating accidents. His run on the ATP 250 occasion included hard-fought three-set wins towards three of the largest servers on Tour in John Isner, Marin Cilic and Arthur Rinderknech.
“I would not need to win my first title wherever else,” mentioned Kokkinakis after edging Rinderknech 6-7(6), 7-6(5) 6-3 within the closing. “To my household, mates and coaches, what a experience it has been. You’ve seen me at my lowest lows and now the very best excessive. It has been a critical journey. For now, I’m so joyful.”
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Kokkinakis kisses the court docket in Adelaide. Picture Credit score: David Mariuz/Tennis Australia
Alexander Bublik, Montpellier
Bublik capped a rock-solid week on the Open Sud de France – Montpellier by claiming the largest win of his profession to seal his maiden tour-level crown. The Kazakh deployed his trademark mixture of big-hitting and deft touches to stun World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in straight units within the championship match on the ATP 250 occasion. It was Bublik’s first victory in 5 championship match appearances.
“I performed 4 finals earlier than and [in] the fifth closing I’ve received towards a terrific participant [in] Sascha,” mentioned Bublik after his 6-4, 6-3 victory. “It’s nice. All my sport collectively. I used to be serving nicely and returned nicely and stored my nerve. I used to be fortunate [at some] moments, and once I had my possibilities, I used them.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
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Bublik holds his trophy in Montpellier. Picture Credit score: JB Autissier/Panoramic.
Felix Auger-Aliassime, Rotterdam
After his eight earlier tour-level finals all led to disappointment, Auger-Aliassime may have been forgiven for exhibiting nerves in February when he took on Stefanos Tsitsipas within the closing on the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam. But the Canadian barely appeared again as he charged previous the World No. 4 Greek 6-4, 6-2 to interrupt his trophy duck on the ATP 500 occasion.
“It’s undoubtedly a dream come true,” Auger-Aliassime, who went on to raise three additional titles in a standout 2022 season, instructed ATPTour.com after his triumph in The Netherlands. “It’s one thing I’ve been working for and struggling for at occasions as a result of everyone knows my story, having misplaced finals earlier than, so this one is much more particular for me.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
Pedro Martinez, Santiago
A gruelling week on the Santiago clay ended with a maiden ATP Tour title for Martinez, who got here by way of three-set battles towards top-quality clay-courters Jaume Munar, Alejandro Tabilo and Sebastian Baez to assert victory on the Chile Dove Men+Care Open. The 24-year-old’s 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 championship match triumph towards Baez made him the fifth Spanish tour-level titlist of a 2022 season that was barely two months outdated.
“We have now a extremely good tradition of tennis in Spain, in order that’s what provides you confidence to achieve new issues,” Martinez later instructed ATPTour.com. “I hope I can go increased within the rankings and maintain taking part in like this.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
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Martinez triumphs in Santiago. Picture Credit score: Matias Donoso|@chile_open/@chileopentenis
Holger Rune, Munich
“If I look by way of the week, what every week,” mentioned Rune after charging to his maiden tour-level crown with out dropping a set at April’s BMW Open by American Express. “I performed some unbelievable tennis, actually preventing my manner by way of it. To be taking part in right here in Munich and successful my first ATP title in entrance of such a superb crowd, I couldn’t actually ask for extra.”
Rune’s run included his maiden High 10 victory towards residence favorite Alexander Zverev within the second spherical earlier than Botic van de Zandschulp’s retirement at 4-3 within the first set of the ultimate noticed the 19-year-old raise the trophy. It was solely an indication of issues to come back for Rune, who later put collectively a shocking late-season cost to win 19 of his closing 21 matches of the yr, raise additional trophies in Stockholm and Paris, and break into the High 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the primary time. Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
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Rune lifts the trophy in Munich. Picture Credit score: Christof Stache/Getty Photographs.
Sebastian Baez, Estoril
Baez drew inspiration from an unlikely supply en path to his maiden ATP Tour title on the Millennium Estoril Open — his championship match opponent Frances Tiafoe. The Argentine had observed the phrases “Why not me?” on Tiafoe’s bracelet early within the week and wrote them on the digital camera lens after every of his victories in Portugal.
When the pair finally met within the closing, it was Baez who charged to a 6-3, 6-2 triumph on the ATP 250 occasion. After receiving the trophy, Baez mentioned to Tiafoe: “Why not me? And why not you, man?” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
Tim van Rijthoven, ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Van Rijthoven was nonetheless looking for his maiden main-draw win on the ATP Tour previous to arriving in ‘s-Hertogenbosch for the Libema Open in June. By the top of the week, the No. 205-ranked residence wild card had 5, after a shocking streak of clean-hitting grass-court tennis moved him previous Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev to turn out to be the lowest-ranked tour-level titlist of 2022.
“I by no means thought I’d win the event,” mentioned Van Rijthoven, who raced previous Medvedev 6-4, 6-1 to turn out to be the primary Dutchman to win the ATP 250 occasion since 2003. “I needed to perhaps upset one participant. However to upset a few gamers and win the title is simply unbelievable.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
Van Rijthoven celebrates in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Picture Credit score: Libema Open.
Maxime Cressy, Newport
With Alexander Bublik main 6-2, 3-0 within the Infosys Hall of Fame Open championship match in Newport, Cressy’s hopes of clinching his maiden ATP Tour title in his third closing had been on the ropes. But the American’s unwavering dedication to his serve-and-volley techniques engineered one of many comebacks of the 2022 season, because the 25-year-old rallied to a dramatic 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) victory on the grass-court ATP 250 occasion.
“My dream is to actually make serve and volley nice once more and encourage many individuals to begin taking part in that sport fashion,” Cressy later instructed ATPTour.com. “I’ve seen different gamers do it much more, like Rafa [Nadal]. If I can impression the tennis world and make serve and volley a sport fashion that individuals get pleasure from and need to play, it’s going to be huge.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
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Cressy comes ahead in Newport. Picture Credit score: Ben Solomon/Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame.
Francisco Cerundolo, Bastad
Cerundolo’s cost to his maiden tour-level crown on the Nordea Open concurrently banished some disappointing reminiscences of his first ATP Tour closing, a heavy loss to countryman Diego Schwartzman in Buenos Aires in 2021. The 23-year-old Cerundolo stored cool all through his run in Bastad, the place his highly effective baseline hitting took out Casper Ruud and Pablo Carreno Busta earlier than his 7-6(4), 6-2 championship match triumph towards Sebastian Baez.
“Since you’re a youngster you think about your self taking part in in these occasions and finals,” mentioned Cerundolo on the trophy ceremony. “Once I misplaced in Buenos Aires, I used to be unhappy, as a result of I used to be at residence and I misplaced badly, however I realized rather a lot from that. I used it at present, and I believe I performed a terrific match, a terrific week.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
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Cerundolo takes the trophy in Bastad. Picture Credit score: Nordea Open/Johan Lilja.
Lorenzo Musetti, Hamburg
After letting slip 5 championship factors towards Carlos Alcaraz within the second set of the Hamburg European Open closing, Musetti’s psychological fortitude was put to the last word take a look at on the ATP 500 occasion. The 20-year-old Italian handed with flying colors, finally edging the highest seed 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4 after two hours, 47 minutes to prevail in one of the best ATP Tour matches of 2022.
“It was a roller-coaster till the top,” Musetti, who later backed up his Hamburg triumph with a title run in Naples in October, mirrored after the match. “I had so many match factors… However I believe the important thing to the match was to maintain calm and [have] all of the persistence [with] myself as a result of it was actually not simple. Carlos was placing a lot effort within the match factors when he was down, so it was not simple to seek out the vitality to come back again.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
Brandon Nakashima, San Diego
The strain of taking part in at residence is just not at all times simple to deal with, however Nakashima made it look that manner by surging to his first ATP Tour crown for the lack of only one set all week on the San Diego Open. Later describing the run as “Like a dream”, the American acknowledged the expertise of successful his maiden Tour title was made even sweeter by the very fact he had completed the feat within the metropolis the place he grew up.
“In fact being in my hometown, I get to go residence tonight, rejoice with the crew,” mentioned the 21-year-old after beating Marcos Giron 6-4, 6-4 within the closing. “I haven’t got to fly again [like] if we had been some other place. I am positive we’ll rejoice with all my household down right here, all my coaches… Simply get pleasure from this second as a lot as attainable.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
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Nakashima wins in San Diego. Picture Credit score: Will LeFevre.
Marc-Andrea Huesler, Sofia
The one left-handed first-time winner of the 2022 season, Huesler’s big-serving and exact volleying took him previous a number of top-quality opponents, together with Pablo Carreno Busta, Lorenzo Musetti and Holger Rune, to a shock maiden title on the Sofia Open. The 26-year-old, who saved two match factors towards Kamil Majchrzak within the quarter-finals, was the primary Swiss participant to win an ATP Tour title since Roger Federer in 2019.
“This entire week has been an entire fairy story for me,” mentioned a delighted Huesler on the trophy ceremony after downing Rune 6-4, 7-6(8). “I’d have been joyful to go a few rounds and I’m holding the trophy right here.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.
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Huesler in motion in Sofia. Picture Credit score: Vladimir Stoyanov/LAP.bg.
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