This week saw four ATP tour events, and what a terrific week of tennis it was, with some amazing performances from various individuals. Four distinct events provided tennis fans with an exciting mix of matches that showcased the skills of both known stars and emerging players. In the end, there were four champions, each of whom not only earned crucial points but also established their status and momentum. Here’s a quick rundown of the champions and their impressive victories.
Winners Of The Week
Nuno Borges
It was a magical week for Nuno Borges at the Swedish Open as he won his first ATP title against Rafael Nadal. It can’t get any better than winning your first title on clay against the best clay court player of all time. He became only the fourth player to beat Nadal in straight sets in an ATP clay-court final after Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. It was like a storybook ending for his first title run ever. Borges showed no signs of nerves and played aggressively right from the start and got better and better as the match progressed. The time on court in the last couple of matches for Nadal showed that he didn’t have much in the tank to make it competitive.
This was the biggest day of Borges’ tennis career and he summed it up perfectly in his speech when he said: “Right now I’m living in the clouds.” It was also a great day for Portugal as Borges is only the second Portuguese to win an ATP title after Joao Sousa. Borges never reached a quarterfinal at the tour level before this year and now has three under his belt. He is a solid player with a career year and someone who can stay in the top 50 for a long time.
Arthur Fils
Arthur Fils displayed immense maturity to win the biggest title of his career at the Hamburg Open. It was the second title of his career and certainly not the last. He defeated Alexander Zverev in arguably the best match of the week which lasted 3 hours and 33 minutes. Fils dominated his opponents in his previous matches, but Zverev pushed him to the brink. His resilience was on full display as he navigated a series of challenging games throughout the match. He faced break points in 9 of his 15 service games but only got broken once and saved 21 break points in total. The amount of mental toughness it takes to win against a top 5 player in his hometown when you’re only 20 is formidable.
Fils is an incredible talent and has shown impressive development in such a short career. With this title, he makes his top 20 debut next week. He is a physical beast and is great off both wings. His rally tolerance is one of the best among young players, and the most important thing is that he goes for his shots and doesn’t hesitate to play fearless tennis in big moments. He will be a nightmare to play against in the Olympics with the crowd behind him.
Marcos Giron
Marcos Giron is another first-time title winner on the ATP Tour this week. The third time was the charm for Giron as he saved a match point en route to the title at the Hall Of Fame Open in Newport. Giron was down a set but kept on fighting like he did all week and got his reward in the end. He has been on tour for such a long time, which makes this win extra special. It was an incredible final, with the 19-year-old Alex Michelsen giving his all, but Giron was mentally stronger in the end. The conditions were quite blustery and Giron looked the one to cope better with the wind.
After so many injuries in his career, it’s great to see Giron putting in the work to try to maximise his potential. He plays gutsy tennis no matter the situation and is lightning-quick on the courts. He will reach a new career-high ranking of 38 on Monday and will head to the Olympics with a lot of confidence.
Matteo Berrettini
Matteo Berrettini had an incredible week in Gstaad as he bagged his second title of the year and his 9th title overall. He did not drop a set all week and just got broken once. He had a tough draw as he faced the likes of Felix Auger Aliassime, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Quentin Halys. The Italian’s consistent serve and powerful groundstrokes were key to his success, along with perfect altitude conditions. Berrettini’s final opponent, Quentin Halys, didn’t play his best tennis, but he would be pleased to reach his first final at the tour level.
Berrettini is a world-class player, even with his limited backhand. Whenever he’s been healthy and played this season, he’s looked threatening and gone on to win titles or have deep runs. Since his return from injury in March, he has won 20 of his 26 matches in all competitions. With this title, he will return to the top 50, and if he maintains his health, he might be seeded come US Open time.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – USA TODAY Sports
