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The ATP Challenger Tour held no scarcity of historic moments this season. From crowning champions who went on to showcase their expertise on the season’s most prestigious occasions, to Argentina’s record-setting 23 titles, or Li Tu’s emotional victory in Seoul.
Because the 2023 season approaches, ATPTour.com opinions 5 memorable moments from the ATP Challenger Tour this 12 months.
ATP Tour and Challenger Tour Champions
Six gamers, together with Borna Coric and Holger Rune, claimed titles on the Challenger Tour and at a Tour-level match.
Coric, who received the Parma Challenger in June, upset three Prime-10 gamers en path to profitable the title in Cincinnati to grow to be the primary participant since 1993 to win a Challenger and an ATP Masters 1000 title in the identical season. After which it was the Danish teen’s flip in Bercy.
Rune, 19, claimed the Sanremo Challenger in April earlier than rising to a few Tour-level titles, together with the ATP Masters 1000 occasion in Paris.
4 different males have been additionally topped champions at each ranges: Yoshihito Nishioka, Marc-Andrea Huesler, Francisco Cerundolo, and Lorenzo Musetti.
Lorenzo Musetti is topped champion on the 2022 Forli-6 Challenger. Credit score: Riccardo Lolli
Argentina’s Record-Setting 23 Titles
Heading into this season, the earlier report for many Challengers by a single nation in a season, 20, had been reached 4 instances (France in 2005, Argentina in 2007, 2016, 2021). After tying the report for a 3rd time in 2021, Argentine gamers set their sights on trying to face alone on the high of the Challenger Tour report books. After breaking the report in late October, Argentine gamers added two extra trophies and completed with 23 Challenger titles in 2022.
Pedro Cachin, 27, held a season-leading 4 Challenger titles (tied w/ Jack Draper) and was the one Argentine who captured greater than two titles this season. Cachin, World No. 57, received titles in Madrid, Prague, Todi, and Santo Domingo.
“Most Challenger titles in a 12 months is unbelievable.” Cachin stated. “It is superb to have such a possibility for all of the gamers to be part of one thing particular like that. It isn’t simple for our gamers to journey the world, going very removed from residence, however to have this achievement makes all of it price it.
Pedro Cachin in motion on the Santo Domingo Challenger last. Credit score: David A. Martinez
“Particularly for the youthful guys, to see that Argentina has the power and potential to win many titles. Hopefully this can improve the passion of gamers from Argentina to play this nice sport. For us, it’s a privilege to be part of this nice second. The fellows have labored laborious and their expertise is now displaying.”
Li Tu Dedicates Challenger Title To His Late Mother
The Australian’s journey to the ATP Challenger Tour has been a novel trek. In 2014, Tu was discovering success on the junior stage, however the-then 18-year-old determined to place his racquets away to pursue a university diploma and a training enterprise, leading to a six-year hiatus from skilled tennis.
If it wasn’t for Tu’s shut buddy having a heart-to-heart dialog with him two years in the past, he could have by no means returned to skilled tennis and loved the success he’s discovered this 12 months.
After struggling the lack of his mom in September, Tu travelled to South Korea the day after her funeral. Little did he know what the Korean Challenger swing had in retailer for him.
Li Tu wins the 2022 Seoul Challenger. Credit score: Do Gained Kim
On the Seoul Challenger, which was Tu’s seventh Challenger look, the 26-year-old superior via qualifying en path to his maiden title. Tu devoted the victory to his mom, who would’ve celebrated her birthday the day after his title.
Shang Juncheng Rescues Ballkid
The Chinese language teen and American Stefan Dostanic have been locked in a three-set battle in scorching temperatures within the American state of Kentucky when Shang seen a ballkid, Atharva Dang, in misery.
After asking Atharva if he was okay, Shang exclaimed, “He’s going to faint!” Instantly, Shang set his racquet down and assisted the overheated boy, lifting him into his arms and speeding him behind the umpire’s chair and out of the direct daylight. After setting him down within the shade, Shang gave a bottle of water to Atharva and positioned an ice-pack behind his head.
Shang Juncheng and ballkid Atharva Dang on the Lexington Challenger. Credit score: Rena Behr
The day after that second of sportsmanship, Shang and the ballkid reunited for an image. Whereas Dang competed in a neighborhood match that weekend, the Beijing native was topped champion on the Lexington Challenger. Shang turned the youngest participant to win a Challenger title since Carlos Alcaraz at Alicante in 2020 and the youngest Chinese language champion in Challenger Tour historical past.
Shelbayh Secures History
On the Rafa Nadal Open by Sotheby’s, 18-year-old Abdullah Shelbayh turned the primary participant from Jordan to win a match in ATP Challenger Tour historical past.
“It’s surreal,” Shelbayh stated following his victory over top-seeded Dominic Stricker. “To do one thing in your nation is a giant achievement. I come from a small nation the place tennis will not be a giant sport and to try this, it means lots to me to be within the historical past of my nation. I really by no means considered that coming into the match, however it feels superb. I hope many gamers from Jordan present their expertise within the close to future and I can encourage them as a lot as attainable.”
Abdullah Shelbayh celebrates his first Challenger Tour win. Credit score: Alvaro Diaz/Rafa Nadal Academy
Though his first Challenger win got here removed from his Jordan residence, it was solely becoming it got here on the Rafa Nadal Academy, the place Shelbayh has skilled since he was 14-years-old.
The Academy graduate was a semi-finalist on the Mallorca Challenger, the place he misplaced to Zizou Bergs.
from Tennis – ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/MidyNzC
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