Kyle Edmund captured the first ATP title of his career on Sunday afternoon, and he did it the hard way. Edmund survived a 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(4) thriller against Gael Monfils, prevailing at the European Open in Antwerp after two hours and 26 minutes.
The 23-year-old Brit had previously been just 0-1 lifetime in ATP finals, having succumbed this spring to Pablo Andujar on the red clay of Marrakech. Monfils is now 7-21 for his career in title matches.
“I’m obviously very happy,” Edmund assured. “A lot of hard work goes into this; so it’s just emotional. You always remember this one. Gael made me work for it today, that’s for sure, so credit to him. I’m just so happy.”
Edmund wins:
There was first-time winner at the Stockholm Open, too, with Stefanos Tstitsipas defeating qualifier Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-4. Tsitsipas saved one break point in the opening game of the match before holding serve easily the rest of the way, using breaks of his own at 5-4 in each set to triumph in one hour and 21 minutes.
The 20-year-old Greek became the first-ever player from his country to win an ATP title.
“Of course I feel happy because I’m the first Greek (to win a title),” Tsitsipas said. “Hopefully many Greek players can achieve something like this. I would be super-happy to see them achieve something like this in the future, maybe even in the near future. Representing my country at such high-level tournaments (and) being the first Greek to crack the top 100 is very, very special for me.
“This trophy, it is amazing… .When I first came to this tournament, I saw all those names: (Roger) Federer, (Juan Martin) Del Potro, and I was like, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be cool to have my name there one day?’ It happened this week.”
“[Tsitsipas] played a really good match,” Gulbis assessed during the trophy presentation. “He had a great week. Congratulations on your first title. I know it’s a big deal to win your first ATP title, so enjoy it. I wish that it’s not the last one.”
Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVq1nb9PO5Q
At the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, Russia’s own Karen Khachanov lifted a winner’s trophy for the third time in his career. The 22-year-old made quick 6-2, 6-2 work of Adrian Mannarino, needing only 54 minutes to triumph.
Khachanov is the first Russian winner of the event since Mikhail Youzhny back in 2009.
“[Winning in Russia] was one of the dreams I had when I was a kid,” he explained. “Coming here (as a kid) I was asking top Russian players for autographs and dreaming one day to become a champion here. Today is the day and I am really happy. These are memories I will always keep in my head.”
Khachanov, Edmund, and Monfils will be playing this coming week in Vienna, while Tsitsipas, Mannarino, and Gulbis are taking their talents to Basel.
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congrats to the champs