Rei Sakamoto, 18, closes Challenger season in historic trend | ATP Tour

Challenger

Sakamoto, 18, closes Challenger season in historic trend

Dzumhur wins season-leading sixth Challenger title

December 03, 2024

Japan’s Rei Sakamoto completed the 2024 season in excellent trend Sunday when he made historical past in entrance of his house followers.

The 18-year-old received his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title and have become the second-youngest Japanese winner at that degree. Solely Kei Nishikori, former World No. 4 within the PIF ATP Rankings, received a Challenger title at a youthful age in 2008.

Sakamoto was competing as a wild card in simply his sixth Challenger outing. The #NextGenATP teen downed German qualifier Christoph Negritu 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 within the remaining. Sakamoto, who received this yr’s Australian Open boys’ singles title, is the third-youngest Challenger champion this season. Solely Joao Fonseca and Joel Schwaerzler had been youthful once they lifted trophies.

Youngest Japanese Challenger Champions

Sakamoto’s triumph additionally caps a historic season for Japanese gamers on the Challenger Tour. Eight Japanese gamers mixed for 10 Challenger titles this yr, marking a file for the Asian nation. Following Sakamoto’s title, he’s as much as a career-high No. 412 within the PIF ATP Rankings.

Sakamoto was not the one Challenger titlist to make historical past this previous week. Hady Habib turned the primary Lebanese champion in Challenger historical past, along with his victory on the
Challenger Dove Males+Care Temuco. Lebanon is the eighty fifth completely different nation or territory with a Challenger title.

Hady Habib is topped champion on the Temuco Challenger.” fashion=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2024/12/02/16/46/habib-temucoch-2024.jpg?h=1080&w=1920″>
^{Hady Habib is topped champion on the Temuco Challenger. Credit score: Challenger Dove Males+Care Temuco}

Habib, 26, survived Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-4, 6-7(3), 7-6(2) in an exciting two-hour, 34-minute remaining. The previous Texas A&M College standout held his nerve regardless of failing to serve out the championship match at 6-4, 5-4.

“Proper now I feel I’ve the largest dopamine rush that I feel I’ve had your entire yr. Ending the yr like that is unbelievable, making historical past for my nation,” Habib mentioned. “I am puzzled.”

Damir Dzumhur received a season-leading sixth Challenger title on the Maia Open, the place he raced previous Italian Francesco Passaro 6-3, 6-4 within the remaining. Dzumhur dropped the opening set of his marketing campaign and infrequently seemed again to gather his 14th Challenger crown.

“It was the very best end to the yr for me,” Dzumhur mentioned. “I’m so joyful. It means lots to me. Most likely one of many outcomes that I can say means probably the most for me in my profession. Profitable ATP tournaments is a good feeling, enjoying Grand Slams with the large gamers, profitable towards some nice gamers is a good feeling, however as soon as you might be coming again, you admire the whole lot extra. Because of this I admire this end result much more.”

Damir Dzumhur in motion on the Maia Challenger.” fashion=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2024/12/02/16/44/dzumhur-maiach-2024.jpg”>
^{Damir Dzumhur in motion on the Maia Challenger. Credit score: FPT/Maia Open}

The 32-year-old Dzumhur will end the season contained in the High 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings, which he returned to in August for the primary time in 4 years.

German Mats Rosenkranz triumphed on the Manzanillo Open in Mexico to say his first Challenger title. The 26-year-old was competing in simply his third match at that degree this season. Rosenkranz defeated Gonzalo Oliveira 6-3, 6-4 within the title match and rose 109 spots within the PIF ATP Rankings, climbing to World No. 373.

Mats Rosenkranz celebrates profitable the Manzanillo Challenger.” fashion=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2024/12/02/16/40/rozenkranz-manzanilloch-2024.jpg”>
^{Mats Rosenkranz celebrates profitable the Manzanillo Challenger. Credit score: Toño Torres Téllez}