Bernard Tomic capped off an amazing run to the Chengdu Open title with a 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(7) victory over Fabio Fognini in which the Australian saved four championship points on Sunday afternoon. Tomic trailed 6-3 in the final-set tiebreaker and fought off three championship points on Fognini’s own serve before triumphing in two hours and 15 minutes.
The world No. 123 had to qualify just to get into the main draw and faced considerable deficits in the final round of qualifying against Egor Gerasimov, in round one of the main draw against Bradley Klahn, and in round two against Lloyd Harris (saved one match point in 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-6(6) victory).
“I should have lost five times,” Tomic admitted. “In the second round in qualifying [against] Gerasimov, I was down 0-40 at 4-4 in the third set and I somehow got through that match. Against Klahn in the first round I was down 7-6, 3-1 and in the second round I was down a match point against Harris. It’s been a rollercoaster, but I played more aggressive in the quarterfinals and semifinals.
“I don’t know how many match points I saved today. At 6-3 (in the tiebreaker) he struck a double-fault, then (at 6-5) I got a lucky net-cord winner. For me to win here is huge–one of the biggest 250 tournaments in the world and it means that I’ll rise back up the ATP Rankings.”
“It was my time to be unlucky today,” said Fognini, who had been 3-0 in ATP finals this season. “I’ve had a great run this year. It was a great week, but for sure I’m sad I lost the final after I had four match points. Well done to him. I fought until the end.”
End of the tiebreaker and trophy presentation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiaGyqMYa8I
The Shenzhen Open final also went three sets, with Yoshihito Nishioka outlasting Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 for his first career ATP title. Nishioka led 7-5, 2-0 before suddenly losing seven consecutive games. A service hold at 0-1 in the third finally got the world No. 171 from Japan back on track. He eventually broke Herbert for a 3-2 lead and had three championship points to break again at 5-3. The Frenchman managed to hold, but Nishioka ended up converting his fifth championship point on serve at 5-4.
“(I am) really disappointed not to lift the trophy, but for sure it has been a great week,” Herbert reflected. “I played five good matches and I came out four times with a win. It has been a great effort; my level was quite high, so I am quite happy with that…. It is a really positive week.”
Last game and trophy presentation:
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wow Tomic
Nishioka is 5 foot 7. #goat
Schwartz man also 5 7