Two German finals in Ortisei – two second places.For Tim Pütz and Jeremy Jahn, however, a successful week ended.
Tim Pütz missed his first single title on the ATP-Challenger Tour.The 29-year-old from Frankfurt lost to Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the final of the Sparkasse ATP Challenger Val Gardena in Ortisei on Sunday afternoon with 6:4,6:4.Jeremy Jahn also lost in the double final.
Even at the beginning of the game, a game was expected to unfold against the expectations of the German.Pütz left two chances for a break in the seventh game of the first set and that’s how it happened: Sonego scored his first break ball with an aggressive backhand return on Pütz’ second serve to win the opening set after 40 minutes.
The events repeated themselves in the second set.Pütz was again unable to use his chance to break, while the 22-year-old Italian could not take his match ball in the 10th minute.the game.Sonego celebrated his first success on the ATP-Challenger tour after one hour and 23 minutes.
“Only a few points make the difference on this fast surface here at the end.It’s a pity that things didn’t turn out quite as planned this time,”Pütz admitted disappointedly after the final.The world rankings 459.had already contested a Challenger final in Eckental three years ago and had to go off the pitch against Belgian Ruben Bemelmans as a loser.
“I have played eight times and feel physically fit”, Pütz was able to take along the positive aspects of this week’s race in Val Gardena, which he had begun as a qualifier. 9,200 euros in prize money and 48 ATP ranking points also sweeten the performance in South Tyrol.Next on the agenda for the German is the home tournament in Ismaning, where he will start again – just like in Ortisei – against his fellow countryman Kevin Krawietz.
For Jeremy Jahn and his Israeli partner Edan Lesham, only the wooden club trophies for the runners-up were left over.Both of them were about to celebrate their first double victory on the ATP-Challenger Tour, but after three match points they had to admit defeat to the better-played team and the top seed of the double tournament, Sander Arends from the Netherlands and Antonio Sancic from Croatia, with 6:2,5:7,[13:11].
“Our positive energy and experience in doubles has certainly helped us in the end.That was a close match and we are very happy to be the winner of the week,”said Arends, who will serve in Ismaning next week without his Croatian partner.Together with Kevin Krawietz, he will be the top of the doubles competition.Sancic travels to Moscow tonight for the Kremlin Cup.