Challenger Tour: Josef Kovalik shocks top seed Victor Estrella Burgos in straight sets - UBITENNIS
Connect with us

Latest news

Challenger Tour: Josef Kovalik shocks top seed Victor Estrella Burgos in straight sets

Published

on

Victor Estrella-Burgos was beaten in the second round of his home event in Santo Domingo. (Image via Zimbio.com)

Home favourite and top seed Victor Estrella-Burgos was unceremoniously beaten in his home Challenger as Josef Kovalik registered his biggest win of the season.  The Slovakian who is ranked just outside the Top 200 played superbly to break Estrella-Burgos three times for a 6-3, 6-2 win. Kovalik did not face a single break point.

 

Frenchman Mathias Bourgue managed to defeat severely out-of-form eighth seed Joao Souza 6-1, 7-6. Souza capitulated in the first set, but did well to return after going behind in the second too. Bourgue called for the trainer and then won a tiebreak to take his place in the quarter-finals.

There are now only two seeds left in the draw, and both required come from behind victories to advance Thursday. Anddrej Martin started the comeback a little earlier than Roberto Carballes Baena, as he recovered from four-one down in the first set, winning the next five games, and the taking the second set on a tiebreak for a 6-4, 7-6 victory.

Carballes-Baena broke in the very first game against Gianluca Naso, but then struggled, losing five of the next six games. He broke as Naso attempted to serve the set out, but then was broken again himself. Carballes Baena won the last four games of the second set, and then broke for an early lead in the third. Naso, responded, broke and was holding the stronger of the two going into the tiebreak, but lost the first four points in the tiebreak and could not recover as Carballes-Baena eventually won 4-6, 6-3, 7-6.

Quarter final draw and picks:

Nicolas Kicker vs Alessandro Giannessi: Two unlikely quarter-final candidates with one thing in common; they are both in superb form. Kicker has dropped just seven games so far including dismissing Alejandro Gonzalez’s conqueror Jose Hernandez-Fernandez 6-3, 6-1 in the last round. Giannessi destroyed second seed Horacio Zeballos and then edged Frank Skugor. I think Kicker will take this. Winner: Kicker in straight sets.

Mathias Bourgue vs Roberto Carballes Baena: Two guys, both twenty-two, and in form. Bourgue beat Souza in the last round and Carballes Baena has shown tenacity to dig out a tough result against Naso. Baena did not play well in the last round, but I’m backing him to pick it up here. Winner: Carballes Baena in straight sets.

Guido Andreozzi vs Maxime Chazal: Andreozzi finally looks back in form. the Argentine is one hundred places removed from his career best, but wins over Gerald Melzer and Jordi-Samper Montana, both accomplished clay-courters shows he is up for this tournament. Chazal is also in form, defeating seventh seed Andre Ghem, and beating qualifier Roberto Quiroz, but even Ghem is not as strong as Melzer or Samper-Montana currently. Winner: Andreozzi in three sets.

Jozef Kovalik vs Andrej Martin: Perhaps the toughest match of the round to call. Kovalik’s win over Estrella-Burgos must carry some weight in this battle, and Martin had a slow start against Calvin Hemery. Winner: Kovalik in three sets.

 

 

Latest news

Luca Van Assche rallies from two sets to one down to beat Alex Michelsen

Published

on

Luca Van Assche came back from two sets to one down to defeat Alex Michelsen 4-3 (7-0) 3-4 (4-7) 3-4 (4-7) 4-1 4-3 (8-6) in 2 hours and 36 minutes at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah in the second longest match in the history of this tournament. 

 

Van Assche and Michelsen went on serve in the first three sets. Both players saved all five break points they faced in the first three sets. 

There were three consecutive breaks in the fourth set. Van Assche earned two of them and served out the set at love in the fifth game. 

Both players traded breaks in the fifth and sixth games of the fifth set. Van Assche earned a chance to serve for the match, but Michelsen pulled back on serve to force a tie-break. 

Van Assche built a 3-0 in the tie-break with an early mini-break. Michelsen saved two match points to draw level to 6-6. Van Assche sealed the win with another mini-break on the second match point. 

“He was playing very well the whole match. It was really close. Not a lot of breaks and it was difficult for me but I am very happy”, said Van Assche. 

Continue Reading

Latest news

Arthur Fils beats Dominic Stricker to end Green Group unbeaten

Published

on

Arthur Fils battled past Dominic Stricker 4-2 3-4 (3-7) 4-2 4-3 (7-5) after 1 hour and 47 minutes in the final round-robin match to end the Green Group unbeaten with a 3-0 record at the Next Gen ATP Finals. 

 

Stricker knew that he would advance to the semifinals if he won just one set. The Swiss player won the set he needed against the already qualified Fils to secure his spot in the semifinal despite the defeat. 

Stricker saved a break point on the deciding point in the third game of the fourth set. Fils earned the break in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead and served out on his second set point. 

Stricker held serve at love in the first game of the fourth set. The Swiss player broke serve on the deciding point to open up a 2-0 lead. Fils broke straight back in the third game and held serve at 15 to draw level to 2-2. Fils earned three mini-breaks, but Stricker pulled back on serve each time. Fils sealed the tie-break 7-5 on his second match point. 

Stricker beat Fils 7-6 7-6 in Gstaad in their only previous head-to-head match last summer. 

Fils saved two break points in the first game to hold serve. Stricker fended off a break point in the fourth game on the deciding point to draw level to 2-2. Fils earned his first break on his third set point with a forehand return winner in the sixth game to clinch the first set 4-2. 

Stricker saved the only break point of the second set in the fourth game. Both players held on their serve en route to the tie-break. Stricker won six consecutive points from 0-1 down with two mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-3. 

Fils won his first title in Lyon and reached the final in Antwerp

“I knew before the match that I qualified, but I just want to win every match that I am playing. I think I put a little bit more focus out there out there today than the first two days because I know this opponent and he already beat me this year. It was a tough match but I am really happy to win and let’s see who I get in the semifinal”, said Fils in the post- match interview. 

Continue Reading

Latest news

Luca Nardi beats Flavio Cobolli but it’s not enough to advance to the semifinals at the Next Gen Finals

Published

on

World number 115 Luca Nardi overcame Flavio Cobolli in an Italian match 3-4 (4-7) 4-2 4-3 (7-1) 1-4 4-3 (7-3) in 2 hours and 14 minutes in the final round robin match of Green Group at the Next Gen Finals at King Abdullah Sports Club in Jeddah. 

 

The win was not enough to earn a semifinal spot for Nardi. Arthur Fils is the first player to qualify for the knock-out stage. The top seeded Frenchman will face Dominic Stricker later today. Stricker needs to win just one set to reach the semifinals. 

Both players went on serve in the first set en route to the tie-break. Cobolli earned two mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-4. 

Nardi saved two break points in the third game of the second set to take a 2-1 lead. The world number 115 broke serve in the sixth game to close out the second set 4-2. 

Cobolli converted his second break point in the first game of the third set. Nardi pulled back on serve in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Nardi opened up a 3-0 lead with two mini-breaks. Cobolli pulled one of the two mini-breaks back for 1-3. Nardi won the final four points with two mini-breaks to claim the tie-break 7-1. 

Nardi clutched his groin when he was serving at 0-1 in the fourth set and called a medical time-out at 0-3. Cobolli earned a break in the second game to close out the fourth set 4-1. 

Cobolli saved two break points to hold serve in the second game. Nardi fended off two break points in the fifth game. Both players held on serve en route to the tie-break. Nardi earned his first mini-break with a backhand flick from out wide to take a 2-1 lead. Cobolli pulled the mini-break back to draw level to 2-2. Nardi closed out the match with a return down the line winner.   

Nardi hit 27 winners to 12 unforced errors. 

“I am happy with the win. Even if I did not qualify, I think today was the best match I played out of the three. I am a bit sad I did not qualify, but I did not want to leave Jeddah without a win. I kept fighting today and I am happy”, said Nardi. 

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending