ATP Challenger Prague: Sebastian Ofner wins the third Challenger title of his career
Styrian Sebastian Ofner surprisingly got his third tournament success at this tournament level at the ATP Challenger event in Prague.
by Stefan Bergmann
last edit: Apr 24, 2022, 03:48 pm
Excellent end to a great week for Sebastian Ofner in Prague: Austria's currently fourth-best tennis player manages the big coup in only his third tournament appearance after a seven-month break due to injury and wins 6-0, 6-4 in the final over local hero Dalibor Svrcina (ATP 246) the tournament victory. It is the Styrian's third full success in his career on the ATP Challenger Tour after 2018 in Astana (Kazakhstan) and 2019 in Puerto Vallarta (Mexico). Ofner will be among the top 190 players in the ATP ranking next Monday.
Again 5 Austrians next week in Ostrava
The final in the "golden city" - which ultimately lasted just 49 minutes - was repeatedly interrupted by the onset of rain and had to be played out on the hard court indoors in the early afternoon. The Austrian advanced to the last round with victories over Constant Lesienne (France), compatriot Jurij Rodionov, Jonas Forejtek (Czech Republic) and Chun-hsin Tseng (Chinese Taipei). Ofner is also in action at a clay court challenger tournament in the Czech Republic next week - in the first round in Ostrava the 25-year-old will face Kazakh Dmitry Popko, who is seeded eighth.
In addition, Jurij Rodionov and Denis Novak are also involved in the East Moravian city: While Rodionov, who is ranked seventh, has to deal with the Slovakian world card player Milos Karol in the first round, Novak opens as number six of the event against the Belgian Zizou mountains. Lucas Miedler and Alexander Erler are in the qualifying final for the singles competition, in doubles the two play top seeded against the local heroes Marek Gengel and Lukas Rosol. Novak meets Hunter Reese (USA) and Sem Verbeek (Netherlands) with the German Mats Moraing in round one.