ATP Challenger Heilbronn: Daniel Altmaier wins the title and is the new number two in Germany
Daniel Altmaier is the champion at the 8th Heilbronn NECKARCUP. In what is probably his last tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour, number 66 in the world rankings defeated Slovakian Andrej Martin 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Sunday afternoon under a bright blue sky and consistently sunny conditions.
by Florian Heer
last edit: May 15, 2022, 10:01 am
By Florian Heer from Heilbronn
Altmaier is a friend of fishing. Hunting for pike and zander at dusk and with his father gives him the relaxation he needs away from the tennis court. “You need patience and a goal. That also has a lot to do with strategy,” explains the 23-year-old German. "You also have to be in the right place at the right time."
For Altmaier, that was undoubtedly the case for his week in Käthchenstadt. The virtues declared in the practice of fishing may also have benefited him on the red ash.
Altmaier after a set deficit to win the title
The initial phase of the final was characterized by strong service games from both opponents before Martin managed the first break in the sixth game - the basis for winning the first set. The second round, on the other hand, went clearly to Altmaier, who focused and determinedly chased his opponent, the completely sold-out tennis facility at Trappensee, across the court with 850 spectators and won the set 6-1.
The fifth game of the third set then brought the preliminary decision in favor of the native Rhinelander. Martin already had two cues to make it 4-1, but in the end the game went to the eventual winner, who gained the upper hand with that break. After another break to 4-3, Altmaier didn't let himself be taken off his bread, while his opponent in his eighth match in seven days no longer had the strength to brace himself against the impending defeat.
Fourth triumph on the Challenger Tour
"I'm incredibly happy that I was able to win the title at the NECKARCUP. It's just good for me to play in Germany, which shows my record of the last four German tournaments in which I was able to celebrate 17 wins and only one loss. With my back against the wall at 1-3 in the second set, I had to give myself a loud wake-up call that helped turn the match around. From that point on, I played more aggressively and no longer waited for my opponent to make mistakes,” said the four-time Challenger Tour champion, who is now scratching the top 50 as the second-best German player in the ATP world rankings.
A certain parallel to Alexander Zverev, who said goodbye to the ATP Challenger Tour with a success at the NECKARCUP 2015 and has now been able to advance to the absolute top of the world, is clearly recognizable. "It's important for me to go up and to establish myself there," says Altmaier about his next goals. “If you take a look at the ranking, you can see that everything is pretty close together. With 300 or 400 more points you are suddenly in the top 30. Then you belong to the elite, are seeded in the Grand Slams and benefit from a bye in the first round at one or the other ATP 250 tournament. That makes life a lot easier because it also increases the chances of earning more points.”
Altmaier, who was accompanied by his coach Francisco Yunis and his mother Galina these days in Heilbronn, refrained from a big victory celebration after the triumph at the NECKARCUP. “Before I go to Paris, I still have Lyon ahead of me. That's the focus now. There it goes Federico Coria. It is important to keep this in mind, as the preparation time is short. Now regenerate briefly, then arrive tomorrow and get used to the conditions on site.”
NECKARCUP organizers with a positive conclusion
Tournament director Metehan Cebeci was very satisfied with the way the tournament went: “It was exactly what I had imagined. People have been waiting for events like the NECKARCUP to take place again. We had between 600 and 800 spectators on the facility every day, that's more than ever before," beamed the tournament director.
The fact that Altmaier left the tournament as the winner is not only a good thing for the award-winning Challenger event, but also for the German Tennis Association. “Daniel is still young. If he continues the way he performed here, things will continue to go up for him.”