Australian Akira Santillan has forged a memorable 2017 – and as a bonus, he’s picked up a few pointers as to how to make his 2018 season on the ATP World Tour even more constructive. At just 20 years old, the #NextGenATP star is still learning how to balance his training regimen with tournament play.

If the 2017 season has taught him something, it’s to pace himself, and to put in the time on the practice courts. “I’ve played too many tournaments in a row this year and it doesn’t suit me,” Santillan said.

“I usually play better when I go practise, play my first tournament and get a good result. I’ll learn from that and go and play three or four tournaments, practise, do the same thing over and over, instead of playing many tournaments in a row.”

Currently No. 20 in the Emirates ATP Race to Milan, Santillan enters this week’s Shenzhen Open event well rested and with hopes of maintaining his form. He is coming off a busy and productive summer run – he won the Nielsen Pro Tennis Championship Challenger in July, then claimed his first ATP World Tour match win a week later at the Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open in Newport, Rhode Island.

And despite falling in the third round of the US Open qualifying, Santillan hardly considers the loss a setback. In that match, Santillan battled back from a set down to force a third set before ultimately falling to American JC Aragone 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.

“It was a bit of a tough loss, but it was also a good result,” Santillan said. “It was also a confidence [booster] for the rest of the season.”

The Australian opens his Asian swing campaign as a wild card and plays Evgeny Donskoy in the first round in Shenzhen. Taking his own advice, Santillan decided to take a break from tournament action after the US Open in an effort to be at full strength to close out the year.

“I had a good three-week break before coming to Shenzhen,” Santillan said. “Just to recover, practise and have some time off to be ready for the next swing in Asia.”

When it comes to ending the year, Santillan has a target but is also careful not to look too far ahead. “I still haven’t made my goals for next season; I’m focusing on now,” Santillan said.

“My goal [for this season] is to break the Top 100 [in the Emirates ATP Rankings]. If I achieve my goals for this season, I’ll focus on a Top-50 finish next season.”

How does it feel to be standing with the trophy and a first-time ATP World Tour winner?
It feels great, obviously first title for me and having that trophy with me. It’s really a great feeling and the best memory of my life definitely.

Was this something you dreamed about growing up and playing tennis as a junior?
It was definitely one of my dreams when I was young, when I was playing as a kid. Playing big tournaments and winning one of them, which the St. Petersburg Open definitely is. Yeah, it was one of my dreams. And now when that that dream has come true I will probably try to get something bigger.

Did you go in with a different approach from your first ATP World Tour final a month ago in Winston-Salem?
It was definitely a different approach from my first ATP World Tour final in Winston-Salem. In Winston-Salem I was a little bit more nervous. I was a little bit more tight than for the match against Fabio Fognini in St. Petersburg. I just knew that any of the finals are not easy to play. You are going to be nervous in the start. But as the match will go on, you’ll get more relaxed and you’ll have chances. So I used my chances in the second set and turned that match, and definitely the first final helped me a lot to win this final.

You only dropped one set going into the final and broke opponents 20 times. Was this the best you have returned in a tournament?
Yes, I can say that this was definitely a tournament when I was returning the best. I just felt good on return, especially that match against Jan-Lennard Struff in the semi-finals, where I needed a return against a big server like him. So I can say this was the best returning tournament for me.

You have a 15-3 record since 31 July. What have you been doing so well to get to this level?
My record since July is really great, and I hope I will continue like that. I think mentally I was very strong, I was very tough. After a few wins, I got my confidence back, and when I got that confidence I was playing tennis on a higher level. Being very strong on the court mentally made the difference from the results that I had before.

How does it feel to be the first player from Bosnia and Herzegovina to win an ATP World Tour singles title?
Being the first Bosnian to have an ATP World Tour singles title is really great, and I am so proud of myself and of my country. I’m really happy that my country, Bosnia-Herzegovina, has a winner of an ATP World Tour title.

Now that you won your first ATP World Tour title and have cracked the Top 50, what are the goals for the rest of the season?
I think the biggest goal until the end of the season is to stay really healthy so I can have some good rest at the end of the season and prepare well for next year. Of course now that I’m No. 40 my goals are bigger and I want to get close to No. 30 until the end of the year. Hopefully I will continue with the good results in the next few weeks, in China and then after in Europe. My goal is to be close to No. 30.

You have had a lot of support in your career. Who are the people that have allowed you to get this level and you would like to acknowledge?
Support is always important and my biggest support was all the time from my family, my mother and father, especially my father, who was my coach since I was 5. He was always with me, helping me and definitely I can say he brought me here to where I am right now. As a family it’s really important. I always play for them and all my results I give to them.

Also, in the last few months, my girlfriend was really helping me a lot, travelling with me to the tournaments. The last few months I haven’t had a tennis coach. She was always there and helping me. And of course my fitness coach, who I’ve been working with the last year, helped me a lot. My fitness is at a great level. Big thanks goes to him.

Big support of the media from Bosnia-Herzegovina, of the people from Bosnia, who were always giving me a lot of power and energy to go for more and to try to do something more in my tennis.

Read More: A Change In Approach Leads To A Change In Fortune For Dzumhur

Is there a player (or players) you looked up to and admired while growing up?
For a long time, my idol has been Roger Federer. Everything he did on the court and off the court was really great. He was always inspiring so many people for so many years and I’m definitely one of the players who Roger inspired and he’s definitely my biggest idol.

There is one more player who really helped show us from the Balkans that we can do so much more than we really think we can and that’s Novak Djokovic, who showed us that… we can make so much more. We can have great results on the tennis scene.

When you’re not playing tennis what are your other interests?
When I’m not playing tennis I like watching movies a lot. I like watching series. I watch a lot of series. I like playing football. And if I have a chance to be home for a few days when it’s winter I like skiing.

A LOOK BACK
TEB Izmir Cup (Izmir, Turkey): Illya Marchenko gave himself the perfect birthday gift, celebrating his first tournament as a 30 year old with the title in Izmir, Turkey. The Ukrainian defeated Stephane Robert 7-6(2), 6-0 in just 73 minutes on Sunday, lifting a trophy on the ATP Challenger Tour for the sixth time. Former World No. 49 Marchenko is looking to return to the Top 100 after falling on tough times in 2017. He is up 65 spots to No. 222 in the Emirates ATP Rankings with the title.

Title title title!!! ????? #izmircup2017

— Illya Marchenko (@imarchello) September 24, 2017

Sibiu Open (Sibiu, Romania): Cedrik-Marcel Stebe continued his stunning ascent in his comeback to the pro circuit, taking his third ATP Challenger Tour title of the year on Sunday. Champion in Poprad, Slovakia and Vancouver, Canada, Stebe added a trophy in Sibiu, defeating Carlos Taberner 6-3, 6-3. Following three years on the sidelines with a slew of injuries, the German returned to the Top 100 after reaching the US Open second round as a qualifier, and is now just eight spots off his career-high of No. 71.

?? @cedrikstebe continues his stunning comeback, claiming his third #ATPChallenger title of the year 63 63 over Carlos Taberner @OpenSibiu. pic.twitter.com/ES8lSPF3az

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 24, 2017

Gwangju Challenger (Gwangju, Korea): Speaking of comebacks from injury, Matthias Bachinger completed an impressive run to the title in Gwangju. The German defeated qualifier Tsung-Hua Yang 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday, streaking to his first Challenger crown in six years without dropping a set all week. Bachinger, who reached a career-high of No. 85 in 2011, was recently sidelined after undergoing knee surgery. At No. 495 in the Emirates ATP Rankings to open the 2017 season, he is up to No. 205 with the victory.

Columbus Challenger (Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.): Croatia’s Ante Pavic became the second-oldest first-time winner on the ATP Challenger Tour this year, claiming his maiden title in Columbus. At 28 years, six months, he defeated Alexander Ward 6-7(11), 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 13 minutes. Pavic is up a staggering 135 spots in the Emirates ATP Rankings with the title, rising to No. 290.

What a moment for 28-year-old Ante Pavic, claiming his maiden #ATPChallenger title with a 67(11) 64 63 win over Alex Ward in Columbus. pic.twitter.com/rwYJ0bGx68

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 24, 2017

A LOOK AHEAD
Three tournaments are on tap this week, headlined by the prestigious Open d’Orleans. The indoor hard-court event features defending champion Pierre-Hugues Herbert as its second seed and two-time champ Nicolas Mahut (2008, ’10) seeded eighth.

In Tiburon, California, defending champion Darian King is seeded sixth, while #NextGenATP stars Quentin Halys, Michael Mmoh and Felix Auger-Aliassime are also seeded. In Rome, Laslo Djere leads the field, with Tommy Robredo, Casper Ruud and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez also in action.

The ATP World Tour’s Asian swing kicks off with a pair of 250-level events on Chinese soil: the Chengdu Open and the Shenzhen Open. World No. 7 Dominic Thiem is the top seed in Chengdu, while fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev leads the field in Shenzhen.

View Draws: Chengdu | Shenzhen

10 THINGS TO WATCH IN CHENGDU
(1) Asian Swing Gets Underway: The ATP World Tour returns to China with hard-court events in Chengdu and Shenzhen. The host nation boasts a pair of players in both singles main draws: Yibing Wu and Di Wu are in Chengdu, while Ze Zhang and Zhizhen Zhang are in Shenzhen.

(2) China’s Rising Star: Yibing Wu makes his ATP main draw debut against Thiago Monteiro on Monday. Wu, 17, won three titles in a nine-day span earlier this month, sweeping boys’ singles and doubles at the US Open before flying to Shanghai and capturing his first Challenger title without dropping a set. Wu is the first Chinese player to win a Grand Slam boys’ singles title and is the first teenage winner from his country on the ATP Challenger Tour. Learn more about the 17 year old

(3) No. 1 Again: Dominic Thiem, who was the top seed at the inaugural Chengdu Open in 2016, returns as the No. 1 seed this week. Thiem won his eighth career title in Rio de Janeiro in February. With a 46-20 record on the season, the Austrian is fourth in the Emirates ATP Race To London.

(4) Finalists Return: Defending Chengdu champion Karen Khachanov and runner-up Albert Ramos-Vinolas are seeded third and second respectively. Khachanov edged Ramos-Vinolas one year ago for his first ATP World Tour title. Should they meet again this week, it will be in the semi-finals on Saturday.

(5) Russian Emergence: Khachanov and countryman Andrey Rublev are next in line to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals at No. 3 and No. 2 respectively in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan. Rublev became the first current #NextGenATP player to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final at the US Open.

(6) #NextGenATP Invasion: Among the other #NextGenATP players in the Chengdu field are Jared Donaldson, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Borna Coric. Tsitsipas, a 19-year-old qualifier, is 0-5 in tour-level matches and seeking the first ATP World Tour win of his career against Donaldson, who is 18-17 in 2017.

(7) First-Time Champion: Peter Gojowczyk of Germany earned a special exempt entry after capturing his first ATP World Tour title in his first final on Sunday in Metz. Gojowczyk beat Benoit Paire to become the first qualifier to lift a trophy since Nicolas Mahut in ’s-Hertogenbosch in 2015.

(8) Unlikely Qualifier: Wimbledon doubles finalist Mate Pavic entered the Chengdu qualifying draw as an alternate, then defeated Yasutaka Uchiyama and Zihao Xia to earn a spot in the main draw. Pavic is unranked in singles and had not played a singles match all season until Saturday.

(9) The Other Wu: Joining Yibing Wu in the singles main draw is Di Wu (no relation), who meets #NextGenATP qualifier Taylor Fritz on Monday. The elder Wu, 26, seeks his first tour-level win of the season. Also competing together in doubles, Wu and Wu earned one of two wild cards, along with Fajing Sun and Rigele Te.

(10) Doubles Round-up: Thiem, Ramos-Vinolas, Coric and the team of Khachanov/Rublev are also in the doubles field. The No. 1 seeds are Pavic and Oliver Marach, who fell to Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo 13-11 in the fifth set of the Wimbledon final after four hours and 39 minutes.

10 THINGS TO WATCH IN SHENZHEN 
(1) ATP Back in China: The ATP World Tour returns to China with 250-level events this week in Shenzhen and Chengdu. The host nation boasts a pair of players in both singles main draws: Ze Zhang and Zhizhen Zhang are playing in Shenzhen, while Yibing Wu and Di Wu are in Chengdu.

(2) One-Year Anniversary: On Monday, No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev celebrates the one-year anniversary of his first ATP World Tour championship. Zverev was ranked No. 27 when he won the St. Petersburg title on September 25, 2016. The 20-year-old is now ranked a career-high No. 4.

(3) Running Two Races: Zverev is tied with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer for the ATP World Tour lead with five titles in 2017. The #NextGenATP superstar is third in the Emirates ATP Race to London and first in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan. Zverev has already qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals, to be held Nov. 7-11, and is next in line to earn a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals at The O2 from Nov. 12-19.

(4) Year of the Zverevs: It’s been a career-year for third seed Mischa Zverev too. The elder Zverev brother reached the third round at Wimbledon, fourth round at the US Open and quarter-finals at the Australian Open, where he upset then-No. 1 Andy Murray. He broke into the Top 25 in July. He opens against either Dudi Sela or Matthew Ebden.

(5) Outside Looking In: Second seed David Goffin is currently 13th in the Emirates ATP Race To London. But with No. 5 Stan Wawrinka and No. 9 Novak Djokovic out for the season, Goffin is only three spots outside the cut-off for qualification at the eight-man Nitto ATP Finals. The 26-year-old Belgian has not reached a semi-final since injuring his right ankle at Roland Garros on June 2.

(6) Record-Setter: Fourth seed Paolo Lorenzi made history at the US Open earlier this month. The 35-year-old Italian became the oldest player in the Open Era to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time. Lorenzi is also the oldest first-time champion in ATP World Tour history (2016 Kitzbuehel). He opens against either Rogerio Dutra Silva or Zhizhen Zhang.

(7) First-Time Champion: Sixth seed Damir Dzumhur debuts in Shenzhen after capturing his first ATP World Tour title in St. Petersburg on Sunday and rising to a career-high No. 40 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Four weeks earlier, Dzumhur played in his first final at Winston-Salem. The Bosnian is 12-2 since August 21.

(8) Local Favourites: Ze Zhang, 27, is one of two Chinese players to reach an ATP World Tour quarter-final in the Open Era, doing so at 2012 Beijing (also Bing Pan at 1995 Seoul). Zhizhen Zhang, 20, defeated Go Soeda at 2015 Shenzhen for his only ATP main draw victory. The Zhangs are not related.

(9) International Man of Mystery: Austrian-born Spaniard Nicola Kuhn’s ATP World Tour debut comes in China as a wild card at the Shenzhen Open. Kuhn, born on March 20, 2000, will be the second player with a 21st-century birthdate to contest an ATP World Tour match after 16-year-old Rudolf Molleker at Hamburg. He is one of four 17 year olds to lift an ATP Challenger Tour trophy this, having prevailed in Braunschweig, Germany. Learn more about Kuhn

(10) Getting to Know You: The Top 3 doubles seeds are first-time teams, including the third-seeded duo of fourth-ranked singles player Alexander Zverev and third-ranked doubles player Marcelo Melo. The unlikely tandem will debut against Hans Podlipnik-Castillo and Andrei Vasilevski.

After 11 years of fighting for his professional tennis dreams, Peter Gojowczyk became an ATP World Tour champion, capturing his maiden title on Sunday at the Moselle Open. The 28 year old defeated Benoit Paire 7-5, 6-2 in the Metz final.

The German qualifier claimed seven matches in eight days to triumph, completing a stunning run to the title with 14 of 15 sets won. His victory is the first for a qualifier in an ATP World Tour final since Nicolas Mahut in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2015.

Gojowczyk is also the sixth first-time champion on the ATP World Tour in 2017. Damir Dzumhur added a seventh maiden title with his triumph at the St. Petersburg Open just hours later on Sunday.

First-Time Winners In 2017

Afterwards, Gojowczyk spoke to ATPWorldTour.com:

How does it feel to be standing with the trophy, and as a first-time ATP World Tour winner?
It feels great to win my first ATP World Tour title. This was the goal this week.

Was this something you dreamed of growing up, and playing tennis as a junior?
My dream was always to be in the top-50, then the top-30; the top-15 if it’s possible.

What was your approach going into your first ATP World Tour final against Benoit, who was playing in his fifth final?
I was trying to move well, hit the ball clearly and play aggressively.

This was your seventh match of the tournament (including two rounds of qualifiers). How are you feeling?
I feel quite good; I only played one three-set match this week (first round win against Norbert Gombos, 3-6, 7-6 [4], 6-3). I was playing amazing this week.

How did you manage to put together seven match wins in a row?
My game was to play aggressive from the baseline; groundstrokes, forehands, backhands — hit the ball hard and clear, and to move well. It’s always tough to play against me when I’m feeling good on the court.

Now that you’ve won your first ATP World Tour title, what goals do you have for the rest of the season and into 2018?
That’s always tough to say; you go from point-from-point, match-to-match. I’m speechless because I won my first title on the ATP Tour. It feels great; right now, I’m around 60 or 70 (in the Emirates ATP Rankings). Maybe I can manage a top-50 ranking for this year; for 2018, I’m not thinking about that right now.

You started the season by winning the Happy Valley Challenger in Australia, ranked No. 189; and now you will be ranked in the top 70. Talk about your ranking jump and what you’ve done to get to this level.
I’ve changed where I train, I’m traveling with my own trainer and I’m trying to stay in shape. In 2014 I was a career high No. 79; then I injured my left foot. This year, I had an operation on my right foot. Now, I travel with my physiotherapist to keep my fitness level up.

You’ve had a lot of support in your career. Who are the people that have helped you get to this level and whom would you like to acknowledge?
A lot of people; my parents, of course. They’ve helped me a lot from the beginning on the Tour. Also, my coach right now, Alexander Satschko.

Is there a player or players you looked up to or admired growing up?
My dream was always to play against Roger Federer. It hasn’t happened yet but we’ll see; maybe in Australia next year. I’ve played twice against [Rafael Nadal], once in the semifinals in Doha [in 2014]. I lost in three sets [4-6, 6-2, 6-3]. That was also the point where [I] believed in myself. Now, I have my first ATP title.

When you’re not playing tennis, what are your other interests?
I’m interested in soccer; my favorite team is [Bundesliga defending champions] Bayern Munich. My second interest is to cook; I do that very often at home and I love it.

One week ago, Peter Gojowczyk was not in the main draw of the Moselle Open. On Sunday, he became the last man standing, claiming his maiden ATP World Tour title in emphatic fashion.

Gojowczyk dominated the Metz final, streaking past seventh seed and home hope Benoit Paire 7-5, 6-2 in 67 minutes. The German qualifier claimed seven matches in eight days to lift his first trophy, completing a stunning run to the title with 14 of 15 sets won.

Gojowczyk’s victory is the first for a qualifier in an ATP World Tour final this year, ending an 0-5 skid. He is the first to clinch a title since Nicolas Mahut in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2015.

The 28 year old is also the sixth first-time champion on the ATP World Tour in 2017. Damir Dzumhur added a seventh maiden title with his triumph at the St. Petersburg Open just hours later on Sunday.

First-Time Winners In 2017

Gojowczyk refused to concede an inch from the back of the court at Les Arènes de Metz. He would fire 18 winners in the first set, breaking Paire in the 11th game before serving out the opener. The German rolled from there, earning an immediate break to open the second as a forehand struck the net cord and dribbled over. He would pounce on a second serve return down the line for a second break for 3-0, and eventually sealed the win on his first match point as a Paire forehand found the net.

Gojowczyk did not face a break point throughout the encounter, launching a total of 28 winners, including three aces. He takes home €85,945 in prize money and 250 Emirates ATP Rankings points, rising to a projected career-high of No. 66

It has been a dream season for the 28-year-old Dachau native. He kicked off his 2017 campaign at World No. 189 and would not drop a set en route to the ATP Challenger Tour title in Happy Valley, Australia. 

Another final in Quimper, France, would follow in early February, and he continued his Top 100 ascent with a first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 match win in Indian Wells. Gojowczyk later excelled on the grass in July, reaching the second round at Wimbledon as a qualifier and battling to the semis in Newport. It was just his second tour-level semi-final, after a run to the last four in Doha in 2014 (l. to Nadal).

Paire, meanwhile, was bidding for his second career title, having previously prevailed in Bastad in 2015. A Frenchman had lifted the trophy in Metz in seven of the past eight years, entering Sunday’s final.

“He didn’t miss many shots and it was tough for me,” Paire said. “But I’m happy for my week and I’m happy for him because he’s a good guy. If I play like I did this week, I think I can do something good [going forward]. There are a lot of positives. And the crowd was unbelievable, supporting me all week.”

Damir Dzumhur captured his first ATP World Tour title on Sunday as he completed a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 comeback victory over Fabio Fognini in the final of the St. Petersburg Open.

The Sarajevo native is the first player from Bosnia and Herzegovina to win an ATP World Tour singles title. Hot on the heels of Peter Gojowczyk’s victory at the Moselle Open in Metz (read more), Dzumhur is the seventh first-time champion on the ATP World Tour this season.

“I was very nervous today, even though it was my second final. I was very nervous at the start,” said Dzumhur. “I couldn’t find my best rhythm, couldn’t find my best game. But the experience of playing one final already helped me a lot and in the end I won. In the end I found my game and played good. It was the best day of my life.”

The 25-year-old Dzumhur has gone 15-3 in tour-level matches since 31 July in a career-best run that will see him move to around No. 40 in the Emirates ATP Rankings on Monday, making him the first player from Bosnia and Herzegovina to break the Top 50. Dzumhur received 250 Emirates ATP Rankings points and $178,480 in prize money.

Coming into St. Petersburg, Dzumhur had been on a strong run of form that saw him make the semi-finals in Los Cabos (l. to Querrey), reach his first ATP World Tour final in Winston-Salem (l. to Bautista Agut) and make the third round of the US Open (l. to Rublev).

Dzumhur overturned a 0-2 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Fognini as he upset the third-seeded Italian in one hour and 54 minutes. Fognini had battled into his 14^th ATP World Tour final after saving two match points against Roberto Bautista Agut in the semi-finals, and strolled to the first set against Dzumhur with two breaks of serve.

But the tide turned against the Italian from 4-4 in the second set as Dzumhur seized the initiative with a run of four straight games to level the match and break at the start of the third set. A second break for Dzumhur in the seventh game sealed victory for the right-hander.

“In the second set I started to serve better,” said Dzumhur. “After one break (at 2-2 in the second set), he broke me back. But I knew that I could break him again and I was returning better. That first break was very important for the whole match.”

The 30-year-old Fognini had been bidding to win his second ATP World Tour of the season, following victory on clay in Gstaad in July (d. Hanfmann). The Italian drops to a 5-9 record in finals, having also finished runner-up in the 2012 edition of the St. Petersburg Open (l. to Klizan). 

Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin delighted the home fans on Sunday at the Moselle Open, capturing the doubles title 7-5, 6-3 over Wesley Koolhof and Artem Sitak.

It was the third tour-level triumph for the French tandem, with all victories coming on home soil. They previously lifted trophies in Marseille and Roland Garros in 2014.

The third seeds dropped just one set all week, capping the strong run in Metz with the 74-minute win over Koolhof and Sitak. They fired five aces and saved eight of nine break points.

“We stayed solid in the big moments today, especially at 30/40 on my serve in the second set,” said Benneteau. “We forced them to make some mistakes and that was the key in the end.”

Benneteau and Roger-Vasselin claim 250 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points and split €26,110 in prize money. For Benneteau, the victory in Metz comes 14 years after capturing the title in the inaugural edition of the ATP World Tour 250 event (w/Mahut). It is title No. 12 for the 35 year old.

Roger-Vasselin, meanwhile, notched his first crown of the year and 14th in his career. He has now claimed the Metz title with three different partners, also prevailing with Nicolas Mahut in 2012 and Lukasz Kubot in 2015.

“Every match was difficult,” added Roger-Vasselin. “The first against Bolelli and Seppi was a tough one. We played well all week and we’re very happy to have the trophy at the end. Today it was a good match again and we played very well. Almost a perfect week.”

Koolhof and Sitak were appearing in their second ATP World Tour final together, having finished runners-up to Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in Atlanta earlier this year. They were coming off a title run at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Szczecin, Poland, last week.

#NextGenATP players Jared Donaldson and Mikael Ymer took the opportunity to experience the local culture in Chengdu on Sunday as they visited ‘Wangjian Lou’, one of Chengdu’s cultural attractions that roughly translates as ‘river view pavilion’.

The American and Swede took part in a game of mini-tennis in the park before learning the ancient local art of calligraphy from a ‘sifu’ (master).

“There are not a lot of similarities between American and Chinese culture – we don’t have bamboo and cultural places like this,” said Donaldson. “It’s a really beautiful setting. I remember learning calligraphy in the fourth grade, but I haven’t practised it since – I think I did a good job though!

“I’m lucky to have this opportunity to visit places like these as a professional tennis player; my friends would be jealous! I love playing tennis in Asia and in China. The atmosphere is great and it’s very cool to experience all these different cultures.”

Ymer added, “It’s my first time in China and Asia, so it’s really amazing. This place is very special and I’ve never seen anything like this. The bamboo is beautiful and the master was very nice to show us how to paint the calligraphy. I’m quite amazed we managed to do it quite well.

“Everyone is so nice here in China; the people and the tournament staff are all amazing. It’s very well organised. To explore places like this at 18 or 19 is really a privilege.”

The 20-year-old Donaldson, who is currently sixth in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan, will open his campaign against another #NextGenATP player, Stefanos Tsitsipas, who came through qualifying. Donaldson is looking for a strong run at this ATP World Tour 250 tournament to keep up his momentum in the bid to qualify for the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.

The 19-year-old Ymer, a wild card entrant, will face Yen-Hsun Lu in the first round as he looks to claim his sixth tour-level win.