Apr 21, 2020 | 2020, Challenger
With the ATP Challenger Tour on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we open the vault for some of the classic matches from the past six years. From Alexander Zverev battling David Goffin in Mons 2014 to the all-Canadian clash between Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime in Drummondville 2017, and this year’s epic encounter between Frances Tiafoe and Brandon Nakashima in Dallas, enjoy these full matches for free and on demand…
2014
David Goffin vs. Alexander Zverev – Mons, Belgium
It’s the only time in which two players in the current Top 10 faced off on the ATP Challenger Tour. A 17-year-old Zverev was first embarking on his professional journey, while Goffin was in the midst of his Comeback Player of the Year campaign. The Belgian would reel off 20 straight Challenger-level matches and 36 sets in a row.
Nick Kyrgios vs. Filip Krajinovic – Sarasota, USA
This would mark the beginning of Kyrgios’ breakthrough season in 2014. Sitting outside the Top 200 at the time, the 18-year-old Aussie would capture back-to-back titles in Sarasota and Savannah, before lifting his first grass-court trophy in Nottingham and stunning Rafael Nadal en route to the Wimbledon quarter-finals. It all started on the green clay of the Sarasota Open.
Borna Coric vs. Malek Jaziri – Izmir, Turkey
It was not only the first title of Coric’s budding career, but his first Top 100 victory as well. The 17-year-old enjoyed his maiden moment on the hard courts of Izmir in 2014 after a two-hour and 30-minute marathon.
Alexander Zverev vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu – Braunschweig, Germany
One of the youngest champions on the circuit in the past decade, Zverev was just 17 years and two months old when he lifted his first trophy in Braunschweig in 2014. The local favourite, sitting at No. 665 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, had won just one Challenger-level match entering the tournament. He would leave with the trophy, capped by a comeback victory over former World No. 12 Mathieu.
2015
Taylor Fritz vs. Jared Donaldson – Sacramento, USA
It was a story of survival and mental fortitude for the 17-year-old Fritz on a windy afternoon in Sacramento. The California native saved a remarkable 34 of 37 break points faced throughout the week, including 15 of 16 in the final. Competing in just his second Challenger main draw, Fritz would become the youngest American titlist on the circuit in eight years.
Diego Schwartzman vs. Guido Pella – Porto Alegre, Brazil
Today they are the highest-ranked players from Argentina, but in 2015, Schwartzman and Pella were still battling to gain full-time status on the ATP Tour. With the season winding to a close, the pair met for the title in Porto Alegre. Just one year later, Schwartzman would lift his maiden ATP crown in Istanbul and Pella would stun Dominic Thiem en route to the final at the 500-level event in Rio de Janeiro.
Noah Rubin vs. Tommy Paul – Charlottesville, USA
It was one of the most remarkable comebacks you’ll see in a final. Leading by a set and a double break, Paul had one hand on the trophy, but Rubin would not be denied his maiden moment. The New York native saved two match points and stormed back from 3-6, 1-5 down to take the all-teen championship clash in Charlottesville 2015.
2016
Dustin Brown vs. Rajeev Ram – Manchester, UK
It was vintage Brown throughout the week in Manchester. The human highlight reel put on a show on the lawns of the The Northern, diving for volleys and slicing and dicing his way to his first grass-court title. His first-round upset of second seed Ram was a memorable one, including an array of trick shots.
Frances Tiafoe vs. Ernesto Escobedo – Lexington, USA
At the time, Tiafoe and Escobedo were two #NextGenATP prospects looking to make a name for themselves on the professional scene. Both were in search of their first Challenger title in the 2016 Lexington championship and an epic encounter would ensue. They left it all on the court for nearly two and a half hours, with Escobedo eventually prevailing in a deciding tie-break. Tiafoe wouldn’t wait long for his maiden moment in the spotlight, lifting his first trophy one week later in Granby.
2017
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Andrey Rublev – Quimper, France
They would later meet in two high-profile matches at the tour-level, but it was the first encounter between Tsitsipas and Rublev that provided an instant spark to their budding rivalry. The first-round meeting on the indoor hard courts of Quimper would be settled in a deciding tie-break, with both teens looking to make a statement. Just one year later, they would find themselves in a five-set battle at the Next Gen ATP Finals, before squaring off once again at the 2019 US Open.
Denis Shapovalov vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime – Drummondville, Canada
The indoor hard courts of Drummondville would not only produce Shapo’s maiden Challenger crown in 2017, but the first professional encounter between the two Canadian prodigies. It was one of the most highly-anticipated matches on Canadian soil and it was standing room only from first ball to match point. From outside the Top 250 at the time to Top 20 stars today – just three years later.
Tennys Sandgren vs. Tommy Paul – Savannah, USA
Pulsating rallies, Hot Shots, incredible drama. This match had it all, as Sandgren and Paul battled for a spot in the Savannah final in 2017. All three meetings between the American pair have had a flair for the dramatic and their very first encounter was no exception.
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Casper Ruud – Lyon, France
We anticipate many more meetings between these budding stars. It was on the clay of Lyon in 2017 that they launched a new rivalry. At the age of 16 years and 10 months, Auger-Aliassime would go on to become one of the youngest champions in Challenger history, but he first had to get through Ruud. After three sets and more than two hours, it was a memorable quarter-final.
2018
Alex de Minaur vs. Daniel Evans – Nottingham, UK
De Minaur’s maiden moment arrived on a sun-kissed afternoon in Nottingham. After falling in four previous Challenger finals, the Aussie would finally break through with his first trophy. Two of the game’s best grass-court performers clashed in the championship, with Evans going on to take the title the following year.
Jay Clarke vs. Jordan Thompson – Binghamton, USA
One of the more entertaining finals in recent history, the 2018 Binghamton championship provided plenty of drama. Thompson had break points to serve for the title in the second set and led 4/0 in the ensuing tie-break, before Clarke mounted a monumental comeback.
2019
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Mikael Ymer – Cassis, France
After undergoing left knee surgery, Tsonga admits that his future as a pro was in doubt. But late last year, the Frenchman said that playing Challenger tournaments helped him find the reasons he was playing tennis again. That comment was made after he sprinted to the title on home soil in Cassis. He did not drop a set all week, but faced a stern test from #NextGenATP star Ymer in the semis. It was a high-octane encounter on the hard courts of the Tennis Sporting Club, with the Swede giving the home favourite all he could handle.
Vasek Pospisil vs. Hyeon Chung – Vancouver, Canada
Arguably the match of the year in 2019 was a first-round meeting between the Canadian and the Korean in Vancouver. Pospisil had the crowd behind him, but Chung was riding a wave of momentum in his comeback from a back injury, winning seven straight matches. They exchanged baseline bombs for more than two hours, before Chung saved three match points to triumph.
Dominik Koepfer vs. Dennis Novak – Ilkley, UK
For Koepfer, it all started in Ilkley last year. The German enjoyed a successful summer stretch that included a Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon and fourth round appearance at the US Open, but those results would not have been possible without his breakthrough Challenger title in northern England. Koepfer saved a match point to defeat Austria’s Novak in a deciding tie-break in the final. The lead swayed back and forth for two hours, before Koepfer seized his maiden moment in thrilling fashion.
Tommy Paul vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis – Tiburon, USA
Paul claimed an instant classic against Kokkinakis in last year’s Tiburon final. The 22-year-old survived after two hours and 46 minutes, converting five of 12 break chances. With the wind howling across the Peninsula Club throughout the day, both players were forced to make plenty of adjustments. They would manage the conditions well, blasting winners off both wings and delighting the packed crowd in the San Francisco suburb. And despite relinquishing a set and a break lead, Paul came up clutch in the critical moments for his third title of the year.
2020
Frances Tiafoe vs. Brandon Nakashima – Dallas, USA
It was arguably the match of the year, prior to the tour’s suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No match on the ATP Challenger Tour is easy, even for a perrenial Top 50 talent like Tiafoe, and the American was put to the test early and often. Tiafoe had his back against the wall against 18-year-old Brandon Nakashima and was made to fight for more than two hours in front of a packed crowd at T Bar M Racquet Club. Nakashima brought his A-game and forced Tiafoe to raise his, resulting in blistering baseline exchanges and incredible drama.
Apr 21, 2020 | 2020, Challenger
With the ATP Challenger Tour on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we open the vault for some of the classic matches from the past six years. From Alexander Zverev battling David Goffin in Mons 2014 to the all-Canadian clash between Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime in Drummondville 2017, and this year’s epic encounter between Frances Tiafoe and Brandon Nakashima in Dallas, enjoy these full matches for free and on demand…
2014
David Goffin vs. Alexander Zverev – Mons, Belgium
It’s the only time in which two players in the current Top 10 faced off on the ATP Challenger Tour. A 17-year-old Zverev was first embarking on his professional journey, while Goffin was in the midst of his Comeback Player of the Year campaign. The Belgian would reel off 20 straight Challenger-level matches and 36 sets in a row.
Nick Kyrgios vs. Filip Krajinovic – Sarasota, USA
This would mark the beginning of Kyrgios’ breakthrough season in 2014. Sitting outside the Top 200 at the time, the 18-year-old Aussie would capture back-to-back titles in Sarasota and Savannah, before lifting his first grass-court trophy in Nottingham and stunning Rafael Nadal en route to the Wimbledon quarter-finals. It all started on the green clay of the Sarasota Open.
Borna Coric vs. Malek Jaziri – Izmir, Turkey
It was not only the first title of Coric’s budding career, but his first Top 100 victory as well. The 17-year-old enjoyed his maiden moment on the hard courts of Izmir in 2014 after a two-hour and 30-minute marathon.
Alexander Zverev vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu – Braunschweig, Germany
One of the youngest champions on the circuit in the past decade, Zverev was just 17 years and two months old when he lifted his first trophy in Braunschweig in 2014. The local favourite, sitting at No. 665 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, had won just one Challenger-level match entering the tournament. He would leave with the trophy, capped by a comeback victory over former World No. 12 Mathieu.
2015
Taylor Fritz vs. Jared Donaldson – Sacramento, USA
It was a story of survival and mental fortitude for the 17-year-old Fritz on a windy afternoon in Sacramento. The California native saved a remarkable 34 of 37 break points faced throughout the week, including 15 of 16 in the final. Competing in just his second Challenger main draw, Fritz would become the youngest American titlist on the circuit in eight years.
Diego Schwartzman vs. Guido Pella – Porto Alegre, Brazil
Today they are the highest-ranked players from Argentina, but in 2015, Schwartzman and Pella were still battling to gain full-time status on the ATP Tour. With the season winding to a close, the pair met for the title in Porto Alegre. Just one year later, Schwartzman would lift his maiden ATP crown in Istanbul and Pella would stun Dominic Thiem en route to the final at the 500-level event in Rio de Janeiro.
Noah Rubin vs. Tommy Paul – Charlottesville, USA
It was one of the most remarkable comebacks you’ll see in a final. Leading by a set and a double break, Paul had one hand on the trophy, but Rubin would not be denied his maiden moment. The New York native saved two match points and stormed back from 3-6, 1-5 down to take the all-teen championship clash in Charlottesville 2015.
2016
Dustin Brown vs. Rajeev Ram – Manchester, UK
It was vintage Brown throughout the week in Manchester. The human highlight reel put on a show on the lawns of the The Northern, diving for volleys and slicing and dicing his way to his first grass-court title. His first-round upset of second seed Ram was a memorable one, including an array of trick shots.
Frances Tiafoe vs. Ernesto Escobedo – Lexington, USA
At the time, Tiafoe and Escobedo were two #NextGenATP prospects looking to make a name for themselves on the professional scene. Both were in search of their first Challenger title in the 2016 Lexington championship and an epic encounter would ensue. They left it all on the court for nearly two and a half hours, with Escobedo eventually prevailing in a deciding tie-break. Tiafoe wouldn’t wait long for his maiden moment in the spotlight, lifting his first trophy one week later in Granby.
2017
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Andrey Rublev – Quimper, France
They would later meet in two high-profile matches at the tour-level, but it was the first encounter between Tsitsipas and Rublev that provided an instant spark to their budding rivalry. The first-round meeting on the indoor hard courts of Quimper would be settled in a deciding tie-break, with both teens looking to make a statement. Just one year later, they would find themselves in a five-set battle at the Next Gen ATP Finals, before squaring off once again at the 2019 US Open.
Denis Shapovalov vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime – Drummondville, Canada
The indoor hard courts of Drummondville would not only produce Shapo’s maiden Challenger crown in 2017, but the first professional encounter between the two Canadian prodigies. It was one of the most highly-anticipated matches on Canadian soil and it was standing room only from first ball to match point. From outside the Top 250 at the time to Top 20 stars today – just three years later.
Tennys Sandgren vs. Tommy Paul – Savannah, USA
Pulsating rallies, Hot Shots, incredible drama. This match had it all, as Sandgren and Paul battled for a spot in the Savannah final in 2017. All three meetings between the American pair have had a flair for the dramatic and their very first encounter was no exception.
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Casper Ruud – Lyon, France
We anticipate many more meetings between these budding stars. It was on the clay of Lyon in 2017 that they launched a new rivalry. At the age of 16 years and 10 months, Auger-Aliassime would go on to become one of the youngest champions in Challenger history, but he first had to get through Ruud. After three sets and more than two hours, it was a memorable quarter-final.
2018
Alex de Minaur vs. Daniel Evans – Nottingham, UK
De Minaur’s maiden moment arrived on a sun-kissed afternoon in Nottingham. After falling in four previous Challenger finals, the Aussie would finally break through with his first trophy. Two of the game’s best grass-court performers clashed in the championship, with Evans going on to take the title the following year.
Jay Clarke vs. Jordan Thompson – Binghamton, USA
One of the more entertaining finals in recent history, the 2018 Binghamton championship provided plenty of drama. Thompson had break points to serve for the title in the second set and led 4/0 in the ensuing tie-break, before Clarke mounted a monumental comeback.
2019
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Mikael Ymer – Cassis, France
After undergoing left knee surgery, Tsonga admits that his future as a pro was in doubt. But late last year, the Frenchman said that playing Challenger tournaments helped him find the reasons he was playing tennis again. That comment was made after he sprinted to the title on home soil in Cassis. He did not drop a set all week, but faced a stern test from #NextGenATP star Ymer in the semis. It was a high-octane encounter on the hard courts of the Tennis Sporting Club, with the Swede giving the home favourite all he could handle.
Vasek Pospisil vs. Hyeon Chung – Vancouver, Canada
Arguably the match of the year in 2019 was a first-round meeting between the Canadian and the Korean in Vancouver. Pospisil had the crowd behind him, but Chung was riding a wave of momentum in his comeback from a back injury, winning seven straight matches. They exchanged baseline bombs for more than two hours, before Chung saved three match points to triumph.
Dominik Koepfer vs. Dennis Novak – Ilkley, UK
For Koepfer, it all started in Ilkley last year. The German enjoyed a successful summer stretch that included a Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon and fourth round appearance at the US Open, but those results would not have been possible without his breakthrough Challenger title in northern England. Koepfer saved a match point to defeat Austria’s Novak in a deciding tie-break in the final. The lead swayed back and forth for two hours, before Koepfer seized his maiden moment in thrilling fashion.
Tommy Paul vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis – Tiburon, USA
Paul claimed an instant classic against Kokkinakis in last year’s Tiburon final. The 22-year-old survived after two hours and 46 minutes, converting five of 12 break chances. With the wind howling across the Peninsula Club throughout the day, both players were forced to make plenty of adjustments. They would manage the conditions well, blasting winners off both wings and delighting the packed crowd in the San Francisco suburb. And despite relinquishing a set and a break lead, Paul came up clutch in the critical moments for his third title of the year.
2020
Frances Tiafoe vs. Brandon Nakashima – Dallas, USA
It was arguably the match of the year, prior to the tour’s suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No match on the ATP Challenger Tour is easy, even for a perrenial Top 50 talent like Tiafoe, and the American was put to the test early and often. Tiafoe had his back against the wall against 18-year-old Brandon Nakashima and was made to fight for more than two hours in front of a packed crowd at T Bar M Racquet Club. Nakashima brought his A-game and forced Tiafoe to raise his, resulting in blistering baseline exchanges and incredible drama.
Jun 17, 2019 | 2019, Challenger, Daniel Evans, Nottingham
Mother Nature has played a role in many professional tournaments over the years, but few have been as chaotic as the 2019 Nature Valley Open.
What transpired in Nottingham could only be described as unprecedented for the region, as northern England endured a deluge of rain throughout the week. Not only did Daniel Evans survive a stacked draw, but the unpredictable weather as well.
On Sunday, the Brit celebrated his second title in as many weeks, extending his win streak to 10 straight with an impressive victory at the prestigious tournament. Evans defeated Evgeny Donskoy 7-6(3), 6-3 in what was their first encounter in six years, after ousting Go Soeda earlier in the day.
“It’s been a good week, carrying on strongly from last week,” Evans said. “I played very well in the first match [today]. The second match, I was a bit frustrated and I was very tired. But I didn’t lose a set today, so I can’t be too unhappy. I played well out there, despite the wind.”
Watch Evans Interview…
The win gave the 29-year-old a historic grass-court double, having also triumphed in Surbiton a week ago. He joins Yen-Hsun Lu as the only players to win consecutive Challenger titles on grass in the past 20 years. Lu went back-to-back in Surbiton and Ilkley in 2016.
The unrelenting rain interrupted play every day of the week, including a total washout on Monday and a move indoors from Tuesday through Friday. And with a WTA Tour event also taking place at the Nottingham Tennis Centre, it was a mad scramble throughout the week.
In the end, Evans would win his quarter-final on the grass on Saturday, before defeating Soeda and Donskoy on Sunday. He moves up seven spots to No. 63 in the ATP Rankings.
Evans is proving to be quite a force on the grass, using his flat groundstrokes and cutting backhand slice to find his top form on the surface. One year after finishing runner-up to Alex de Minaur in Nottingham, he has gone one step further on home soil. The Birmingham native is the first British winner here since Greg Rusedski in 2003, when the tournament was on the ATP Tour.
On Sunday, Evans lifted the Paul Hutchins Trophy, named after the longtime Nottingham tournament director and British Davis Cup captain, who recently passed away.
“It’s amazing to be the first winner of the Paul Hutchins Trophy – he was a massive part of me growing up. He was here last year and it feels a bit empty without him this year. It was really good to win, and hopefully he watched down on that.”
Evans will next head to Queen’s Club in London for the Fever-Tree Championships, an ATP 500 event. He opens against Stan Wawrinka on Tuesday.
Jun 17, 2019 | 2019, Challenger, Daniel Evans, Nottingham
Mother Nature has played a role in many professional tournaments over the years, but few have been as chaotic as the 2019 Nature Valley Open.
What transpired in Nottingham could only be described as unprecedented for the region, as northern England endured a deluge of rain throughout the week. Not only did Daniel Evans survive a stacked draw, but the unpredictable weather as well.
On Sunday, the Brit celebrated his second title in as many weeks, extending his win streak to 10 straight with an impressive victory at the prestigious tournament. Evans defeated Evgeny Donskoy 7-6(3), 6-3 in what was their first encounter in six years, after ousting Go Soeda earlier in the day.
“It’s been a good week, carrying on strongly from last week,” Evans said. “I played very well in the first match [today]. The second match, I was a bit frustrated and I was very tired. But I didn’t lose a set today, so I can’t be too unhappy. I played well out there, despite the wind.”
Watch Evans Interview…
The win gave the 29-year-old a historic grass-court double, having also triumphed in Surbiton a week ago. He joins Yen-Hsun Lu as the only players to win consecutive Challenger titles on grass in the past 20 years. Lu went back-to-back in Surbiton and Ilkley in 2016.
The unrelenting rain interrupted play every day of the week, including a total washout on Monday and a move indoors from Tuesday through Friday. And with a WTA Tour event also taking place at the Nottingham Tennis Centre, it was a mad scramble throughout the week.
In the end, Evans would win his quarter-final on the grass on Saturday, before defeating Soeda and Donskoy on Sunday. He moves up seven spots to No. 63 in the ATP Rankings.
Evans is proving to be quite a force on the grass, using his flat groundstrokes and cutting backhand slice to find his top form on the surface. One year after finishing runner-up to Alex de Minaur in Nottingham, he has gone one step further on home soil. The Birmingham native is the first British winner here since Greg Rusedski in 2003, when the tournament was on the ATP Tour.
On Sunday, Evans lifted the Paul Hutchins Trophy, named after the longtime Nottingham tournament director and British Davis Cup captain, who recently passed away.
“It’s amazing to be the first winner of the Paul Hutchins Trophy – he was a massive part of me growing up. He was here last year and it feels a bit empty without him this year. It was really good to win, and hopefully he watched down on that.”
Evans will next head to Queen’s Club in London for the Fever-Tree Championships, an ATP 500 event. He opens against Stan Wawrinka on Tuesday.
Jun 17, 2019 | 2019, Challenger, Corentin Moutet, Lyon, NextGen
It was the coronation of Corentin on Sunday. #NextGenATP star Corentin Moutet has been fighting for this moment since he turned pro three years ago, and it was finally realized.
The 20-year-old from Neuilly-Sur-Seine, France, capped his Top 100 breakthrough with a title on home soil in Lyon. Moutet had his moment in the spotlight in front of a boisterous home crowd at the Open Sopra Steria, defeating Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday afternoon.
Moutet was made to work for his fourth ATP Challenger Tour trophy and second of the year, battling for a pair of three-set wins before avenging a 2017 defeat to Ymer. He needed one hour and 50 minutes to prevail, sealing the title on his third match point.
“It’s a big satisfaction to win today,” said Moutet. “My opponent is a good player. I lost against him two years ago, here in Lyon. I was expecting a big fight today. I did my best all week and while it was hard sometimes, my level was quite high. I won and that’s the most important thing. Now I’m going back to work tomorrow.”
One week after enjoying a tour-level breakthrough at Roland Garros, stunning Guido Pella for his first appearance in the third round of a Grand Slam, he is reveling in a breakthrough of another kind. His victory in Lyon vaulted him to the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings for the first time, soaring to a career-high No. 86. In addition, he is up to seventh in the ATP Race To Milan, with the Top 7 automatically qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals in November.
“There are not a lot of ways to progress [up the ATP Rankings]. It happens by working constantly every day, not only sometimes. I know that if I want to progress, I have more to do. That’s why I’m going back to work tomorrow, to continue on this way and go a little bit more every day.”
The youth movement in France has now kicked into high gear. Canada is no longer the only nation with multiple #NextGenATP stars in the Top 100, with Moutet joining countryman Ugo Humbert in the elite club.
#NextGenATP Top 100 Debuts In 2019
| Player |
Age
|
Debut Date
|
| Felix Auger-Aliassime
|
18 |
25 February
|
| Casper Ruud
|
20
|
4 March
|
| Miomir Kecmanovic
|
19 |
18 March
|
Corentin Moutet
|
20 |
17 June
|
Earlier in the year, Moutet etched his name in the history books with a title on the hard courts of Chennai, India. He became the first teenager to triumph in three consecutive seasons since Evgeny Korolev achieved the feat from 2005-07. Now, aged 20, Moutet is close to putting his Challenger days behind him.
“We all make mistakes, but what we have to keep in mind is that we learn from our mistakes. I wasn’t perfect during this tournament, but I’m still learning. Improving each day on the court but also outside is really important. I’m learning and growing.”
Jun 17, 2019 | 2019, Challenger, Corentin Moutet, Lyon, NextGen
It was the coronation of Corentin on Sunday. #NextGenATP star Corentin Moutet has been fighting for this moment since he turned pro three years ago, and it was finally realized.
The 20-year-old from Neuilly-Sur-Seine, France, capped his Top 100 breakthrough with a title on home soil in Lyon. Moutet had his moment in the spotlight in front of a boisterous home crowd at the Open Sopra Steria, defeating Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday afternoon.
Moutet was made to work for his fourth ATP Challenger Tour trophy and second of the year, battling for a pair of three-set wins before avenging a 2017 defeat to Ymer. He needed one hour and 50 minutes to prevail, sealing the title on his third match point.
“It’s a big satisfaction to win today,” said Moutet. “My opponent is a good player. I lost against him two years ago, here in Lyon. I was expecting a big fight today. I did my best all week and while it was hard sometimes, my level was quite high. I won and that’s the most important thing. Now I’m going back to work tomorrow.”
One week after enjoying a tour-level breakthrough at Roland Garros, stunning Guido Pella for his first appearance in the third round of a Grand Slam, he is reveling in a breakthrough of another kind. His victory in Lyon vaulted him to the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings for the first time, soaring to a career-high No. 86. In addition, he is up to seventh in the ATP Race To Milan, with the Top 7 automatically qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals in November.
“There are not a lot of ways to progress [up the ATP Rankings]. It happens by working constantly every day, not only sometimes. I know that if I want to progress, I have more to do. That’s why I’m going back to work tomorrow, to continue on this way and go a little bit more every day.”
The youth movement in France has now kicked into high gear. Canada is no longer the only nation with multiple #NextGenATP stars in the Top 100, with Moutet joining countryman Ugo Humbert in the elite club.
#NextGenATP Top 100 Debuts In 2019
| Player |
Age
|
Debut Date
|
| Felix Auger-Aliassime
|
18 |
25 February
|
| Casper Ruud
|
20
|
4 March
|
| Miomir Kecmanovic
|
19 |
18 March
|
Corentin Moutet
|
20 |
17 June
|
Earlier in the year, Moutet etched his name in the history books with a title on the hard courts of Chennai, India. He became the first teenager to triumph in three consecutive seasons since Evgeny Korolev achieved the feat from 2005-07. Now, aged 20, Moutet is close to putting his Challenger days behind him.
“We all make mistakes, but what we have to keep in mind is that we learn from our mistakes. I wasn’t perfect during this tournament, but I’m still learning. Improving each day on the court but also outside is really important. I’m learning and growing.”
