ATP Challenger
Menendez-Maceiras loses out in Panama, rain disrupts play
Menendez-Maceiras won a round in Panama, but was beaten by the sixth seed in round two.
Adrian Menendez-Maceiras may have won his first Challenger title in more than a decade last week, but the Spaniard was handed a straight sets defeat by sixth seed Henri Laaksonen in the second round of this week’s Challenger in Panama City. The Swiss, who has played with Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka as Davis Cup partners, won 6-2, 6-4.
Menendez-Maceiras moved up seventy places with his title win, but is still nearly one hundred places short of his career-best ranking of No. 111 achieved two years ago. Laaksonen’s return to form is a welcome one after a mixed run in the American Masters in Indian Wells and Miami. He qualified and reached the second round in Indian Wells but fell victim to young prodigy Miomir Kecmanovic in Miami qualifying.
Fifth seed Bjorn Fratangelo was forced to qualify after making a late decision to play this event. So far it has paid off with the American advancing to the quarter-finals after a hard-fought 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 win over Italian veteran Andrea Arnaboldi.
Rain halted play in other matches with Federico Coria leading Yannick Hanfmann by a set, with Blaz Rola and Mitchell Krueger having just started a decider after splitting the first two. Pedja Krstin and Sekou Bangoura had also taken to the court, but had not managed to get their match started before the skies opened.
Early round shocks had seen seventh seed Stefan Kozlov depart in round one, and top seed Horacio Zeballos was almost beaten by young Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic but managed to come back in three sets. Kecmanovic’s close loss only continues to enhance the teenager’s growing reputation as he seeks to increase his exposure and ranking on the main senior tour. Sekou Bangoura had also ousted eighth seed Joao Souza.
The 2019 season starts on the Challenger Tour, with reformed rules and different schedule.
Three tournaments will be played from the 31st of December to the 6th of January on the hard courts of Noumea, Playford and Orlando. Federico Delbonis, Lorenzo Sonego and Illya Marchenko will be the top seeds.
The Internationaux Bnp Paribas in Noumea will feature a strong field, with veterans Tommy Robredo, Dustin Brown, Yuichi Sugita and Donald Young.
Challenger Noumea (New Caledonia, Hard), entry list:
80 Delbonis, Federico (ARG)
128 Halys, Quentin (FRA)
135 Rubin, Noah (USA)
146 Sugita, Yuichi (JPN)
159 Caruso, Salvatore (ITA)
164 Barrere, Gregoire (FRA)
166 Baldi, Filippo (ITA)
175 Milojevic, Nikola (SRB)
189 Rola, Blaz (SLO)
196 Robert, Stephane (FRA)
197 Janvier, Maxime (FRA)
198 De Schepper, Kenny (FRA)
202 Robredo, Tommy (ESP)
213 Coppejans, Kimmer (BEL)
OUT Horansky, Filip (SVK)
219 Lee, Duckhee (KOR)
223 Giustino, Lorenzo (ITA)
224 Galovic, Viktor (CRO)
231 Brown, Dustin (GER)
233 Clezar, Guilherme (BRA)
OUT Kwon, Soonwoo (KOR)
239 Sakharov, Gleb (FRA)
242 Harrison, Christian (USA)
249 Young, Donald (USA)
256 Ymer, Mikael (SWE)
259 Masur, Daniel (GER)
275 Chung, Yunseong (KOR)
276 Benchetrit, Elliot (FRA)
291 Marcora, Roberto (ITA)
297 Kwiatkowski, Thai-Son (USA)
303 Brkic, Tomislav (BIH)
OUT Setkic, Aldin (BIH)
310 Lamasine, Tristan (FRA)
OUT Altamirano, Collin (USA)
OUT Gomez-Herrera, Carlos (ESP)
327 Takahashi, Yusuke (JPN)
OUT Crepatte, Baptiste (FRA)
ITF25 Barrios Vera, Marcelo Tomas (CHI)
OUT Torebko, Peter (GER)
OUT Petrone, Alessandro (ITA)
OUT Hossam, Youssef (EGY)
ITF132 Sinclair, Colin (NMI)
ITF141 Wang, Tak Khunn (FRA)
ITF144 Simon, Tobias (GER)
WC Statham, Rubin (NZL)
WC Blancaneaux, Geoffrey (FRA)
WC Chazal, Maxime (FRA)
WC Nys, Hugo (FRA)
WC Nielsen, Frederik (DEN)
Qualifying:
OUT Ornago, Fabrizio (ITA)
OUT Tokuda, Renta (JPN)
OUT Niklas-Salminen, Patrik (FIN)
OUT Simon, Tobias (GER)
OUT Blancaneaux, Geoffrey (FRA)
ITF180 Niki, Takuto (JPN)
ITF209 Arconada, Jordi (USA)
ITF210 Giner, Marc (ESP)
(WC)
Alternates (ITF):
OUT Lock, Benjamin (ZIM) ITF101
OUT Hossam, Youssef (EGY) ITF 125
IN Sinclair, Colin (NMI) 132
OUT Celikbilek, Altug (TUR) ITF133
OUT Bortolotti, Marco (ITA) ITF134
IN Wang, Tak Khunn (FRA) ITF141
IN Simon, Tobias (GER) ITF144
OUT Jahn, Jeremy (GER) ITF147
OUT Avidzba, Alen (RUS) ITF150
Q Blancaneaux, Geoffrey (FRA) ITF157
OUT Hassan, Benjamin (GER) ITF160
OUT Piros, Zsombor (HUN) ITF179
Q Niki, Takuto (JPN) ITF180
Q Arconada, Jordi (USA) ITF209
Q Giner, Marc (ESP) ITF210
1. Pla Malfeito, Jaume (ESP) ITF211
OUT Huesler, Marc-Andrea (SUI) ITF236
OUT Escoffier, Antoine (FRA) ITF245
2. Korda, Sebastian (USA) ITF290
Alternates (ATP):
IN Smith, Roy (USA) 329
IN Olivo, Renzo (ARG) 332
OUT Wang, Tak-Khunn (FRA) 334
OUT Tokuda, Renta (JPN) 338
OUT Piros, Zsombor (HUN) 339
IN Grenier, Hugo (FRA) 342
OUT Harris, Andrew (AUS) 344
OUT Vukic, Aleksandar (AUS) 349
IN Escoffier, Antoine (FRA) 356
OUT Saville, Luke (AUS) 363
OUT Wu, Tung-Lin (TPE) 366
IN Huesler, Marc-Andrea (SUI) 372
1. Statham,Rubin (NZL) 374
2. Caruana, Liam (ITA) 381
Challenger Playford (Australia, Hard), entry list:
107 Sonego, Lorenzo (ITA)
112 Ruud, Casper (NOR)
127 Harris, Lloyd (RSA)
129 Menendez-Maceiras, Adrian (ESP)
133 Travaglia, Stefano (ITA)
145 Moutet, Corentin (FRA)
149 Ito, Tatsuma (JPN)
151 Moraing, Mats (GER)
152 Lestienne, Constant (FRA)
160 Dutra Silva, Rogerio (BRA)
OUT Giannessi, Alessandro (ITA)
162 Koepfer, Dominik (GER)
163 Bublik, Alexander (KAZ)
OUT Smyczek, Tim (USA)
168 Otte, Oscar (GER)
169 Vanni, Luca (ITA)
170 Laaksonen, Henri (SUI)
172 Krstin, Pedja (SRB)
178 Majchrzak, Kamil (POL)
181 Nedovyesov, Aleksandr (KAZ)
OUT Quiroz, Roberto (ECU)
185 Safwat, Mohamed (EGY)
188 Escobedo, Ernesto (USA)
192 Moriya, Hiroki (JPN)
193 Evans, Daniel (GBR)
195 Watanuki, Yosuke (JPN)
200 Napolitano, Stefano (ITA)
201 Pavlasek, Adam (CZE)
203 Paul, Tommy (USA)
204 Donati, Matteo (ITA)
205 De Greef, Arthur (BEL)
206 Troicki, Viktor (SRB)
208 Molleker, Rudolf (GER)
209 Zhang, Ze (CHN)
210 Kolar, Zdenek (CZE)
211 Gaio, Federico (ITA)
212 Gutierrez-Ferrol, Sergio (ESP)
ITF19 Zhurbin, Alexander (RUS)
OUT Bega, Alessandro (ITA)
ITF71 Doumbia, Sadio (FRA)
OUT Eriksson, Markus (SWE)
ITF108 Lopez-Perez, Enrique (ESP)
ITF130 Li, Zhe (CHN)
WC Santillan, Akira (AUS)
WC Saville, Luke (AUS)
WC Vukic, Aleksandar (AUS)
WC Hijikata, Rinky (AUS)
WC Purcell, Max (AUS)
Qualifying:
OUT Ornago, Fabrizio (ITA)
OUT Banes, Maverick (AUS)
OUT Lock, Benjamin (ZIM)ITF134 Bortolotti, Marco (ITA)
ITF155 Tseng, Chun Hsin (TPE)
ITF210 Giner, Marc (ESP)
(WC)
Alternates (ITF):
IN Lopez-Perez, Enrique (ESP) ITF108
IN Li, Zhe (CHN) ITF130
OUT Sinclair, Colin (NMI) ITF 132
OUT Celikbilek, Altug (TUR) ITF133
Q Bortolotti, Marco (ITA) ITF134
OUT Wang, Tak Khunn (FRA) ITF141
OUT Simon, Tobias (GER) ITF144
OUT Jahn, Jeremy (GER) ITF147
OUT Avidzba, Alen (RUS) ITF150
OUT Ilkel, Cem (TUR) ITF151
Q Tseng, Chun Hsin (TPE) ITF155
OUT Blancaneaux, Geoffrey (FRA) ITF157
Q Giner, Marc (ESP) ITF210
1. Pla Malfeito, Jaume (ESP) ITF211
2. Look, Michael (AUS) ITF229
3. Saville, Luke (AUS) ITF230
4. Fancutt, Thomas (AUS) ITF232
5. Escoffier, Antoine (FRA) ITF245
Alternates (ATP):
IN Kamke, Tobias (GER) 214
IN Soeda, Go (JPN) 215
IN Hemery, Calvin (FRA) 217
OUT Lopez-Perez, Enrique (ESP) 220
1. Moroni, Gian Marco (ITA) 227
2. Griekspoor, Tallon (NED) 232
3. Davidovich Fokina, Alejandro (ESP) 238
4. Li, Zhe (CHN) 278
Challenger Orlando (USA, Hard), entry list:
198 Marchenko, Illya (UKR)
199 King, Darian (BAR)
OUT Galan, Daniel Elahi (COL)
229 Krueger, Mitchell (USA)
243 De Bakker, Thiemo (NED)
244 Peliwo, Filip (CAN)
248 Gombos, Norbert (SVK)
251 Ignatik, Uladzimir (BLR)
252 Cid Subervi, Roberto (DOM)
255 Aragone, JC (USA)
258 Novikov, Dennis (USA)
262 Bonzi, Benjamin (FRA)
263 King, Kevin (USA)
264 Elias, Gastao (POR)
265 Serdarusic, Nino (CRO)
266 Bourgue, Mathias (FRA)
267 Zapata Miralles, Bernabe (ESP)
270 Tatlot, Johan (FRA)
271 Mager, Gianluca (ITA)
273 Ojeda Lara, Ricardo (ESP)
274 Broady, Liam (GBR)
280 Coria, Federico (ARG)
282 Uchida, Kaichi (JPN)
283 Oliveira, Goncalo (POR)
284 Taberner, Carlos (ESP)
285 Couacaud, Enzo (FRA)
286 Miedler, Lucas (AUT)
287 King, Evan (USA)
288 Grigelis, Laurynas (LTU)
OUT Viola, Matteo (ITA)
293 Choinski, Jan (GER)
294 Safranek, Vaclav (CZE)
295 Griekspoor, Scott (NED)
300 Pavic, Ante (CRO)
301 Collarini, Andrea (ARG)
302 Sarkissian, Alexander (USA)
OUT Przysiezny, Michal (POL)
ITF11 Reboul, Fabien (FRA)
ITF14 Souza, Joao (BRA)
ITF22 Jomby, Tom (FRA)
ITF24 Sels, Jelle (NED)
(WC)
(WC)
(WC)
(WC)
(WC)
Qualifying:
ITF28 Ortega-Olmedo, Roberto (ESP)
ITF31 Menezes, Joao (BRA
ITF38 Brouwer, Gijs (NED)
(WC)
Alternates (ITF):
OUT Boluda-Purkiss, Carlos (ESP) ITF42
1. Mertens, Yannick (BEL) ITF51
2. Gomez, Emilio (ECU) ITF54
3. Muller, Alexandre (FRA) ITF75
OUT Rinderkneck, Arthur (FRA) ITF79
4. Dougaz, Aziz (TUN) ITF112
5. Hoyt, Evan (GBR) ITF114
Alternates (ATP):
IN Giron, Marcos (USA) 309
IN Gonzalez, Alejandro (COL) 313
IN Blanch, Ulises (USA) 314
1. Kozlov, Stefan (USA) 317
2. Ortega-Olmedo, Roberto (ESP) 320
3. Song, Evan (USA) 322
4. Fanselow, Sebastian (GER) 324
OUT Smith, Roy (USA) 329
5. Torpegaard, Mikael (DEN) 331
Janko Tipsarevic continues his come-back with a straight set win over Peter Gojowczyk in Geneva
Richard Gasquet saves two match points to beat his compatriot Maxime Janvier in Lyon
Bianca Andreescu Looking Forward To Roland Garros Challenge After Training In Spain
Andy Murray ‘Kind Of On Track’ For Recovery And Potential Return To Tennis
The Highest Earning Players Of 2019 So Far
Nick Kyrgios Says ‘Cringeworthy’ Djokovic Will Never Be As Great As Federer, Blasts Nadal
Rafael Nadal ‘Tired’ Of Accusations Concerning Gender Inequality In Tennis
Feliciano Lopez Addresses Retirement Speculation
Australia Down Belarus In Thriller To End 26-Year Wait For Fed Cup Final
After 26 Years Of Heartbreak, Great Britain Finally Secures Fed Cup Promotion
VIDEO: Rafael Nadal, Karolina Pliskova Conqueror Rome
VIDEO: Novak Djokovic To Lock Horns With Nadal In Rome
(VIDEO) Another Act Of The Nick Kyrgios Show
Roger Federer Explains What His Motto In Life Is During Q&A Video For Barilla
(VIDEO) Serena Williams Narrates New Nike Advert Celebrating Female Athletes
-
Focus3 days agoAlexander Zverev’s Search For Confidence Continues In Geneva As Roland Garros Approaches
-
Hot Topics21 hours agoThe Highest Earning Players Of 2019 So Far
-
ATP3 days agoNovak Djokovic Keeps Faith Ahead Of Schwartzman Semi-Final In Rome
-
Hot Topics1 day agoNovak Djokovic’s Italian Open Defeat Raises Questions About Tournament Scheduling
-
ATP18 hours agoAndy Murray ‘Kind Of On Track’ For Recovery And Potential Return To Tennis
-
Focus3 days agoItalian Open Saturday Preview: The Men’s and Women’s Match of the Day
-
Focus3 days agoRafael Nadal Claims Revenge On Tsitsipas To Reach 50th Masters 1000 Final
-
ATP2 days agoNovak Djokovic battles past Diego Schwartzman to set up a blockbuster final against Rafael Nadal in Rome