It had been five years since Gael Monfils last competed on the ATP Challenger Tour. But, seeking more match play and confidence after sustaining a wrist injury at the US Open, the Frenchman added the OEC Open in Kaohsiung to his calendar.

The decision paid dividends for Monfils, as the top seed surged to the title at the $150,000 event on Taiwanese soil. Now 6-0 in Challenger finals, the 32-year-old defeated #NextGenATP qualifier Soonwoo Kwon 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in Sunday’s championship.

“A win is a win and I came here to win a lot of matches, so I am very happy,” Monfils told the assembled media following the final. “It is never easy to win a Challenger. It has given me confidence, to play five guys who were really tough. I’m just very happy.

“It was my first time in Taiwan and I had a blast. The fans came out from the first day and were here all week. This is a Challenger, but it’s very well organised. The stadium and management are great.”

Monfils becomes the fifth player to capture titles on both the ATP World Tour and ATP Challenger Tour this year. In the opening week of the season, he reigned at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, notching his seventh tour-level crown.

ATP World Tour & ATP Challenger Tour Winners In 2018

It was not always routine, but Monfils found his form in navigating to the Kaohsiung title. He rallied from a set down to defeat another #NextGenATP qualifier, Akira Santillan, in the first round, before ousting Go Soeda, Ernests Gulbis and Duckhee Lee without conceding a break.

On Sunday, he was put to the test against 20-year-old Kwon, who was bidding for his maiden Challenger crown. After the Korean secured three straight breaks in the second set, Monfils rediscovered his rhythm in the decider, racing to a 3-0 lead and eventually claiming his second championship point. 

“Kwon played amazing today,” Monfils added. “He’s a youngster with a lot of hope and desire, so it was a very tough match and I had to pull out my best game to beat him today. But it’s not an easy turnaround. Tomorrow I am flying to Chengdu and already it’s another tournament.”

Sealed with a selfie ?

When the champ asks you for a pic. It happened today in Kaohsiung. ? @Gael_Monfils pic.twitter.com/IxaVSt0ieb

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 23, 2018

Monfils is projected to rise to No. 38 in the ATP Rankings and is poised to carry the momentum to the upcoming Asian swing on the ATP World Tour. He will face yet another #NextGenATP qualifier in his opener at the Chengdu Open – South Africa’s Lloyd Harris. The Frenchman is also slated to appear at the China Open in Beijing and Rolex Shanghai Masters. 

Gilles Simon rolled back the clock once more on Sunday at the Moselle Open in Metz. The 33-year-old Frenchman won his third Metz title (2010, 2013) and second crown of the season, beating German qualifier Matthias Bachinger 7-6(2), 6-1.

“I have a good feeling here, I also have the family coming. So it’s a very nice feeling to come back every year,” Simon said.

Simon, who also captured the Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune to start the season (d. Anderson), has won two titles in the same season for the first time since 2011 and continued what has been a career renaissance for him in 2018. He started the year at No. 89 in the ATP Rankings, and he hadn’t won a title since February 2015 in Marseille.

But with his 14^th ATP World Tour crown (14-7), Simon, currently No. 39, guaranteed his return to the Top 30 of the ATP Rankings (No. 29) on Monday when the new rankings are released. He also continued French domination of the ATP World Tour 250-level tournament in Metz.

Frenchmen have now hoisted the trophy in 10 of the tournament’s 16 editions, including eight of the past 10. Simon will receive 250 ATP Rankings points and €89,435 in prize money. “I just want to play as much as I can,” he said.

Bachinger, despite the loss, had the best week of his career. The 31-year-old had celebrated just one tour-level victory this season before Metz. But he qualified and then won four matches in a row to reach his maiden ATP World Tour final. The German, No. 166 in the ATP Rankings, will climb 31 spots to No. 135 after receiving 150 points. He also will receive €47,105 in prize money.

“Today, I was definitely a bit tired and of course, I am a bit disappointed I couldn’t take advantage of the opportunities I had in the first set,” Bachinger said. “I need to be positive, this has been an incredible week for me. If I would have been told that I would reach the final when I arrived here to play the qualies, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

Bachinger had three set points on Simon’s serve at 5-6, 0/40, but the Frenchman erased them all and cruised in the tie-break. Simon wore the German down in the second set, breaking twice and serving out the match to love.

“I put a lot of energy into this [5-6] game because I felt like it was really important to change this momentum if possible and I was able to do it, and it was for sure the key point of the match,” Simon said.

Before the St. Petersburg Open final, Dominic Thiem had lost all three of his FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings against Slovakian Martin Klizan. But he made up for that deficit in a big way on Sunday.

The top seed cruised past Klizan 6-3, 6-1 in just 68 minutes to earn his 11th ATP World Tour title, and his first on hard courts since Acapulco in 2016.

“I think that I was raising up my level from the first to the last match and obviously I played my best match today,” Thiem said. “It was pretty close in the beginning. He was playing very well at the start of the match, but then I did one break, which was very important. From this moment on, I think I had control of the match.”

By triumphing, the Austrian also prevented history. Klizan was previously 6-0 at tour-level with a championship on the line. And if the 29-year-old left-hander would have beaten Thiem, he would have become the first player since the ATP World Tour began in 1990 to win his first seven title matches. Latvian Ernests Gulbis is 6-0.

“He’s a very dangerous player. He can hit winners from everywhere,” Thiem said. “Even though he had some issues, I was still aware of that and I was trying to continue my normal tennis because otherwise maybe it would get closer again.”

Thiem, who leads the ATP World Tour with 48 match wins in 2018, is making a push to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the third consecutive year. Thanks to his efforts in St. Petersburg, the 25-year-old is projected to climb past Kevin Anderson into seventh place in the ATP Race To London.

The 6’1” right-hander has now captured three titles this year, earning that many victories in one season for the third time (also 2015 and 2016). Thiem saved the two break points he faced, with both coming in the final game. Meanwhile, he broke Klizan at three of seven opportunities. The Austrian adds 250 ATP Rankings points to his tally, and earns $209,645.

Early on in the match, it was clear the final would be a battle of forehands. Thiem has arguably the heaviest baseline game in the sport. and Klizan came out firing early, using his thunderous forehand as he did all week to advance to the final.

But as the match wore on, Thiem’s shot-by-shot intensity appeared to wear on Klizan, as the Austrian was able to dictate play, especially when targeting the Slovakian’s backhand. After gaining a set-and-a-break lead, it became clear it was Thiem’s day. On one point, he was completely out of the rally, with Klizan on top of the net to put away a volley. But the Austrian scrambled and barely got his racquet on the ball for a forehand, which he hit for a clean cross-court winner.

“I was doing a lot of things very well today: serving, returning, and also from the baseline,” Thiem said. “The scoreline was going for me, and that’s why it was pretty quick, I would say.”

It was still a strong week for Klizan, especially considering it was his first hard-court event since March. The World No. 65 earned impressive wins against second seed Fabio Fognini, #NextGenATP star Denis Shapovalov and former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka, earning 150 points and $110,415 in prize money.

“It’s a loss. I’m not very happy, but overall it was a good week for me,” Klizan said. “I had like three or four days to prepare on hard courts and the result, the final, I think it’s good.”

In their maiden outing as a team, Matteo Berrettini and Fabio Fognini capped a memorable week at the St. Petersburg Open with a 7-6(6), 7-6(4) victory over Roman Jebavy and Matwe Middelkoop on Sunday.

The Italian duo lifted their first team title after one hour and 39 minutes, winning 69 per cent of first-serve points to overcome the defending champions in straight sets. Berrettini and Fognini were forced to save set points in both sets, at 5-6 (40/40) in the opener and at 3-5 (30/40) in the second set, before successfully navigating two tie-breaks to confirm victory.

Berrettini has now won two tour-level doubles crowns after earning his first tour-level doubles title at the J. Safra Sarasin Swiss Open Gstaad (w/Bracciali) in July. It is Fognini’s fifth tour-level doubles trophy, ending a two-year championship drought since the 2016 Shenzhen Open.

With four service breaks in the opening six games and set-point opportunities missed by both teams, a tie-break was needed to decide the outcome of the opening set. The Italians opened up a 4/1 advantage in the set-decider and, despite failing to capitalise on two further set points at 6/4, moved one set ahead after converting their fourth opportunity.

After saving break point in the opening game of the second set, Jebavy and Middelkoop opened up a 2-0 lead with a fourth break of serve. The third seeds held two set points at 5-3 (40/30) to level the match, but consecutive errors at net rebalanced the scores.

A second tie-break was needed, and Berrettini and Fognini once again proved too strong. The Italians converted their first championship point, with a second straight big serve from Berrettini, to capture the title.

Jebavy and Middelkoop were bidding to lift their second straight St. Petersburg trophy after winning their only team title at the event last year. The third seeds also reached the championship match in Lyon this year (l. to Kyrgios/Sock).

Berrettini and Fognini receive 250 ATP Doubles Ranking points and split $63,690 in prize money for lifting the trophy. Jebavy and Middelkoop gain 150 points and share $33,480.

Did You Know?
No team has managed to win back-to-back St. Petersburg Open doubles titles since the tournament began in 1995.

Both Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin had won the Moselle Open three times before arriving in Metz this week, each doing so with three different partners. But on Sunday, the Frenchmen doubles up for the first time, beating brothers Ken Skupski and Neal Skupski 6-1, 7-5 in 58 minutes to capture their second title at the event as a team.

“It was a great week with Nicolas,” said Roger-Vasselin. “I am really happy that I forced him to come here and at the end of the week we have the trophy. It was definitely a great week for us.”

The top seeds are now 33-12 as a pair, clinching their fifth triumph together. It is Mahut and Roger-Vasselin’s first victory as a duo since 2013, when they earned the crown at the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open.

Mahut partners Pierre-Hugues Herbert full-time, and they are currently ninth in the ATP Race To London, as the Frenchmen attempt to qualify for the season finale for the fourth consecutive year. But it was a successful reunion for Mahut and Roger-Vasselin in their home country, winning all eight sets they played en route to the championship.

“Winning in France is special, but winning twice here [together] and, for both of us it is the fourth time [overall], it is something big,” said Mahut. “We hope to have a fifth one next year.”

Besides Mahut adding a 23rd tour-level doubles trophy and Roger-Vasselin tallying his 15th crown, they both add 250 ATP Doubles Rankings points and split €27,170 in prize money. They are also the ninth all-French team to capture the title in Metz, and the second in a row, as Roger-Vasselin was victorious with Julien Benneteau in 2017.

It was a successful week for their opponents, Skupski/Skupski, as the brothers came within one match of earning their second triumph together. While they are from Great Britain, they have enjoyed a fair amount of success in France.

Ken Skupski lifted his maiden ATP World Tour trophy in Metz nine years ago (w/ Fleming), and they won their first title together earlier this year in Montpellier. Despite falling short, they both earn 150 points and a share of €14,280.

Did You Know?
Mahut and Roger-Vasselin dominated on serve in the final, dropping just one point on their first serves (28/29).

What comes to mind when we think of Juan Martin del Potro? Is it his fearsome forehand, his unique relationship with tennis fans or perhaps his perseverance in the face of adversity? No matter which attribute appears first in our thoughts, there are an endless list of ways to describe the Tower of Tandil, who recently reached his second Grand Slam final at the US Open.

Today, as the Argentine celebrates his 30th birthday, ATPWorldTour.com shares its list of Del Potro’s 30 standout characteristics and lesser known facts that make the 30-year-old one of the most beloved players in the sport. Does your favourite feature appear in the list?

1. Brave like no other: Juan Martin del Potro has made a career of adjusting on the fly, challenging the established order and facing down all comers. His track record against top-flight competition is stellar: The Argentine has defeated 10 World No. 1 players, the most for a player to not hold the No. 1 ranking.

2. A passion for architecture: Del Potro is an avid admirer of architecture and has stated on several occasions his affinity for the practice is nearly equal to that of his current career as a professional athlete. He’s even gone as far as to suggest a pursuit of his passion for the art in retirement.

3. A man of multiple languages: Spanish is Del Potro’s first language, and he’s shown his ability to conduct interviews in English as well. But did you know Delpo is also proficient in Italian? The next question: Will he be able to show off his Italian-speaking skills in an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 victory speech at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia one day?

4. A major Boca Juniors fan: A die-hard soccer enthusiast, Delpo never misses a chance to watch his favorite team, Buenos Aires club Boca Juniors in action. He’s been known to frequent “La Bombonera,” Boca Junior’s home stadium, and interact with the “Xeneizes,” a major fan club of the team. During this year’s US Open, Del Potro watched footage of his beloved team in the dressing room before matches for concentration and motivational purposes.

5. Professes great reverence for Pope Francis: In 2013, Del Potro had the honour of meeting the 266th and current Pope in the Vatican City ahead of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Rome. Del Potro, a devout Catholic, presented the Pope, who is also from Argentina, with a racquet he used during his 2009 US Open final victory over Roger Federer. Some years later, Del Potro brought a picture of Pope Francis with him to the operating room before undergoing wrist surgery.

6. An animal lover: After triumphing at the BNP Paribas Open in March and earning his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, Del Potro scribbled the name “Cesar” on a television camera lens with a blue marker. The message was in dedication to his beloved dog, a Newfoundland breed that passed away a month earlier. Cesar had been a loyal companion and often accompanied Delpo on tour for nearly 10 years.

7. Bursting on to the scene: Delpo holds a distinction none of his fellow veterans can claim: During the 2008 season and at the tender age of 19, the Argentine became the first rookie to win four consecutive tournaments (Stuttgart, Kitzbühel, Los Angeles and Washington).

8. Standing tall (literally): At 6’6″, ‘The Tower of Tandil’ is the tallest player to lift a Grand Slam title in the 50 years of the Open Era.

9. Sense of ‘entitlement’: With 22 titles to his name, Del Potro is third in terms of individual crowns hoisted by an Argentine player. Guillermo Vilas leads the list with 62, while Jose Luis Clerc earned 25.

10. Fishing for fun: One of Del Potro’s favourite pastimes is fishing. When time allows, he sets out on a boat with a bunch of friends for a day on the water in hopes of a catch — and to catch up on some relaxation. For Delpo, fishing is the best way to free his mind from the grind of life on the tour.

11. Doubly impressive: One of the most exciting and unexpected moments of the past decade in tennis came in 2009, when Del Potro lifted the US Open trophy by defeating Federer. The Argentine managed to do more than just claim his first major title: He snapped the five-time defending champion’s 40-match win streak at Flushing Meadows in the process.

12. Hometown a hotbed of talent: Despite its relatively small population (just over 100,000) Del Potro’s birthplace of Tandil has produced numerous ATP World Tour standouts, including the likes of former World Top 10 Juan Monaco and the former Top 20 player Mariano Zabaleta.

13. South American dream: Currently ranked No. 4 in the World, Del Potro aspires to become the first Argentine player to climb to No. 1 in the ATP Rankings since the system was established in 1973. It would be a milestone for both Argentina and for South America in general. Only two players from the continent, Brazil’s Gustavo Kuerten and Chile’s Marcelo Rios, have achieved that feat.

14. Always listens to ‘The Boss’: Del Potro’s passion for Bruce Springsteen’s music is well-known on the tour. Before competing at the US Open this year, the Argentine had the opportunity to meet one of his favorite musicians in person after a “Springsteen on Broadway” concert at the Walter Kerr Theatre in New York City.

15. Try for you, Argentina: Despite a career plagued by injuries, Del Potro is the only Argentine tennis player to win two Olympic medals. He claimed a bronze medal at the London 2012 Summer Olympics and a silver medal four years later in Rio de Janeiro.

16. Legions of fans: A report published in 2016 by The Wall Street Journal placed Del Potro as the most beloved tennis player on tour. A year later, the United States Tennis Federation (USTA) presented him with the US Open Sportsmanship Award in recognition of his fair play values and admirable attitude on and off the tennis court.

17. Roadside assistant: Of all the anecdotes detailing his acts of kindness, one that stands out is the time Del Potro encountered a man in Mar del Plata, Argentina, who was walking on the side of the road on his way home after a long day of work. Del Potro gave the man a lift and the story went viral on social media soon after.

18. Home stays home: A creature of habit, the 29-year-old Del Potro always enjoys returning to his family home in Tandil. His bedroom remains intact and houses relics of his childhood. For example, a teddy bear outfitted with Boca Juniors attire that he’s had since the age of 4 still sits next to his bed.

19. Mass media: With more than 3.3 million fans on Twitter, the Argentine is the fifth most followed male tennis player. He posts regularly, and his activities can be followed through his @delpotrojuan account.

20. Family guy: Delpo has expressed his desire to be a father one day and have one big, happy family. His priority, should he enter fatherhood? “To help my family fulfill their dreams and ensure they are good people.”

21. Good food, good company: For Delpo, a proper Argentine-style barbecue is one surrounded by friends and delicious meat. The secret to the perfect Argentine barbeque isn’t even a secret: “Know how to work the grill, and work with exactly the right type of meat.”

22. Grateful for his upbringing: Del Potro never forgets where he came from, or the solid education provided by his parents during his childhood. He often speaks with his mother, Patricia, about life in general and what he values in it. Talk with his father, Daniel, however, generally revolves around sports and his own career trajectory.

23. Close relationship with Maradona: Del Potro maintains a close friendship with ‘El Pelusa’ (Mop Top): He attended the funerals of both of Maradona’s parents and has called the soccer legend before surgical interventions. Two of the greatest Argentine athletes of all time share a strong bond that extends beyond their respective sporting prowess.

24. A grass wall: For all his success and accolades, the Argentine has yet to figure out how to break through and triumph on grass. The Argentine has played a total of 17 tournaments on the surface without hoisting a trophy. He holds a record of 21-9 at Wimbledon with his best result being a semi-final appearance in 2013.

25. Toast of Argentine Davis Cup: The year 2016 proved to be a banner year for Del Potro and his country when Argentina claimed its first Davis Cup title by defeating Croatia in the final. The clash had a little bit of everything: drama, momentum shifts and an epic conclusion. Argentina was forced to rally from 1-2 down and, at one point, was one set from defeat, with Marin Cilic leading Del Potro two sets to love in the fourth rubber match. Del Potro rallied and ultimately prevailed, 6-7(4), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3. In the final match, Federico Delbonis downed Ivo Karlovic 6-7(4), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3, sealing the victory and making Argentina the only South American team to lift the Davis Cup trophy.

26. A silver lining: Del Potro’s road to a silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio hit a snag even before he stepped on court for his first-round match. As if facing Novak Djokovic, the No. 1-ranked player at the time, wasn’t stressful enough, Delpo was trapped in an elevator in the Olympic Village for 40 minutes prior to the match with no way of alerting anyone of the mechanical malfunction. Eventually he was discovered and rescued by two members of Argentina’s handball team. Upon his “release,” Delpo went on to upset Djokovic 7–6(4), 7–6(2).

27. The power ball: Delpo’s forehand is considered by his peers as one of the most potent on tour and a weapon to be reckoned with. Studies have estimated the top speed of his missile-like forehand to clock in at nearly 180 kilometers per hour (approx. 112 mph). That equates to about 50 meters in barely a second — or, from his opponents’ point of view, blink and you miss it.

28. Consider Federer a fan: So revered is Delpo’s vaunted forehand that even Roger Federer, one of the Argentine’s main rivals over the years, nicknamed him Juan Martin del ‘Thor-tro,’ a reference to the Marvel character and Norse god Thor. In comics and mythology, Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, grants him super-human powers.

29. Friends he can count on: If friends are the family one gets to choose, Del Potro’s family grows exponentially. At this year’s US Open, nearly 14 of his friends, an entourage affectionately known as “La Banda del Salamin” regularly crammed into the player’s box to cheer their friend throughout the tournament.

30. London calling: Now that his return to elite form is official, Del Potro is turning his attention to the Nitto ATP Finals in London. The Argentine has made the year-end event four times before and knows what it takes to reach the final, as he came within a match of claiming the title in 2009 (l. to Davydenko 3-6, 4-6). With his comeback complete and his indoor court game as dangerous as anyone on tour, could a win in London be in the stars for Del Potro?