Brit Kyle Edmund Outlasts Monfils In Antwerp, Tsitsipas And Khachanov Also Triumph

Couldn’t be happier right now! My first ATP Tour Title – Photo by @kyle8edmund via Twitter.

 

 

By Ricky Dimon

 

Kyle Edmund won the first ATP title of his career on Sunday, and he did it the hard way. Edmund survived a 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(4) thriller against Gael Monfils after two hours and 26 minutes, triumphing at the European Open in Antwerp.

 

The 23-year-old Brit had previously been just 0-1 lifetime in ATP finals, having lost one this spring to Pablo Andujar on the red clay of Marrakech. Monfils is now 7-21 for his career in title matches.

 

“I’m obviously very happy,” Edmund said. “A lot of hard work goes into this; so it’s just emotional. You always remember this one. Gael made me work for it today, that’s for sure, so credit to him. I’m just so happy.”

 

There was first-time winner at the Intrum Stockholm Open, as well, with Stefanos Tstitsipas beating qualifier Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-4. Tsitsipas saved one break point in the opening game of the match before holding serve easily the rest of the way, using breaks of his own at 5-4 in each set to prevail in one hour and 21 minutes.

 

The 20-year-old became the first Greek ever player to win an ATP title.

 

“Of course I feel happy because I’m the first Greek (to win a title),” Tsitsipas assured. “Hopefully many Greek players can achieve something like this. I would be super-happy to see them achieve something like this in the future, maybe even in the near future. Representing my country at such high-level tournaments (and) being the first Greek to crack the top 100 is very, very special for me.

 

“This trophy, it is amazing… .When I first came to this tournament, I saw all those names: (Roger) Federer, (Juan Martin) Del Potro, and I was like, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be cool to have my name there one day?’ It happened this week.”

 

“[Tsitsipas] played a really good match,” Gulbis said during the trophy ceremony. “He had a great week. Congratulations on your first title. I know it’s a big deal to win your first ATP title, so enjoy it. I wish that it’s not the last one.”

 

At the Kremlin Cup, meanwhile, Karen Khachanov lifted a winner’s trophy for the third time in his career–this time doing so in front of a home Russian crowd. Khachanov made quick 6-2, 6-2 work of Adrian Mannarino in the Moscow final, needing only 54 minutes to triumph.

 

The 22-year-old is the first Russian winner of the tournament since Mikhail Youzhny in 2009.

 

“[Winning in Russia] was one of the dreams I had when I was a kid,” Khachanov commented. “Coming here (as a kid) I was asking top Russian players for autographs and dreaming one day to become a champion here. Today is the day and I am really happy. These are memories I will always keep in my head.”

 

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @TennGrand.