After struggling a first-round defeat within the Australian Open qualifying, Alexander Shevchenko took the lengthy journey from Melbourne to Tenerife to compete on the ATP Challenger Tour occasion on the Canary Island.
Though the journey might have been midway the world over, it paid off because the 22-year-old didn’t drop a set all week en path to claiming the Tenerife Challenger 1, the place he downed Austrian Sebastian Ofner 7-5, 6-2 within the remaining.
“The ultimate was very powerful,” Shevchenko mentioned. “I needed to go extra aggressive and in addition needed to win some factors taking part in defence. Plenty of enjoyable feelings that I’ll keep in mind for the remainder of my profession.”
Shevchenko is coached by Gunter Bresnik, who has labored with outstanding gamers resembling Boris Becker, Patrick McEnroe, Dominic Thiem, and Gael Monfils.
After claiming his maiden Challenger title in Bratislava this previous season, Shevchenko was a two-time semi-finalist within the latter half of 2022 (Milan, Szczecin). The Challenger 100 title in Tenerife lifts him to a career-high No. 116 within the Pepperstone ATP Reside Rankings.
Challenger Tour Takes On Tenerife
“I’m shut [to the Top 100],” Shevchenko mentioned. “However I’m not there, so I’ve to work exhausting from subsequent week on, overlook about this week, and begin the brand new week.”
On the clay courts of Piracicaba, Andrea Collarini dispatched 4 of the High-9 seeds, together with World No. 102 Alejandro Tabilo, to win his first Challenger title since August 2019 (L’Aquila). The Argentine defeated Chilean Tomas Barrios Vera within the remaining 6-2, 7-6(1) to seize the Brasil Tennis Challenger.
“I am unable to wait to rejoice with my spouse and my household,” Collarini mentioned. “I am completely satisfied as a result of I received a Challenger once more. The final one was three years in the past and this previous 12 months I reached two finals (Tigre-2, Vicenza) however I could not win them. I’ve had good weeks and dangerous weeks. Now I am completely satisfied as a result of in these dangerous weeks I questioned if I’d be capable to win a event once more, and I lastly did.”
Andrea Collarini triumphs on the Brasil Tennis Challenger.” />Andrea Collarini triumphs on the Brasil Tennis Challenger. Credit score: João Pires
Following a record-setting 23 Challenger titles in 2022, gamers from Argentina are off to quick begin to surpass their very own milestone. Juan Manuel Cerundolo collected a pair of titles within the first two weeks of the season and now Collarini joins the guy lefty as Argentine Challenger champions this month.
The title on the Challenger 75 occasion propels the 2010 Roland Garros boys’ singles finalist to a career-high 186 within the Pepperstone ATP Reside Rankings.
On the Bangkok Open 3, Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro collected his maiden Challenger crown. En path to title, the 25-year-old took down prime seed James Duckworth and ended Frenchman Arthur Cazaux’s 13-match profitable streak within the remaining 6-2, 7-5.
Shimabukuro is constructing upon his career-best season in 2022, when he made his Davis Cup debut in September and narrowly escaped former World No. 33 Denis Istomin. The next month, Gifu native superior by means of qualifying to compete in his maiden Tour-level event, the ATP 500 occasion in Tokyo.
Sho Shimabukuro in motion on the Bangkok Open 3.” />Sho Shimabukuro in motion on the Bangkok Open 3. Credit score: The Garden Tennis Affiliation Of Thailand
