ATP Challenger: Frenchman Ugo Humbert wins Challenger Val Gardena/South Tyrol

The Frenchman Ugo Humbert is the champion of the ninth edition of the “Sparkasse Challenger Val Gardena/South Tyrol”. The 20-year-old Frenchman won the final against his compatriot Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6:4, 6:2. With this success Humbert will enter the top 100 of the ATP world rankings for the first time.

From Florian Heer from Ortisei

The name Ugo Humbert will be remembered in the tennis scene. After the triumph in Segovia, his victory at the 64,000 Euro tournament is his second success on the ATP Challenger Tour. The number six of the event gave the top favorite Herbert no chance in the final and turned his third match point after only one hour playing time.

“It was a fantastic week,” the winner beamed afterwards: “The surface is very fast here, but I like these conditions. It seems to be working right now. I’m just happy to be on the tour and I enjoy my time on the court.”

Humbert, who is rather lean, trains at the French Tennis Federation in Paris and has been working with his coach Cedric Renaud for four years now. The two have already achieved a major goal. “It was my absolute dream to make it into the top 100. That’s fantastic,” says Humbert, who describes his serve and backhand as his strengths. “I can still work a little on the forehand,” said the youngster from Metz.

At this year’s US Open Humbert qualified for the first time for a main field at a Grand Slam. In the second round he finally lost to Stan Wawrinka. “The match took place at the Grandstand – and it was indescribable. Now I’d like to be at the Australian Open too.”

His great role model is Roger Federer. “Maybe I’ll get a chance to play against him,” smiled the #NextGenATP Star, who ranks twelfth in the Race-to-Milan. With regard to the next tasks, he is already concentrating: “Now it’s on to the Challenger in Ismaning. Of course I also want to win there,” was Humbert’s ambitious slogan.

Dennis Novak was the only representative of Austria in the main field of Ortisei. The Davis Cup player reached the semi-finals, but lost to the later finalist Pierre-Hugues Herbert in two sets.

“He was clearly better that day, served better and returned,” said Novak and presented himself as a fair loser. But the 25-year-old was also able to gain a lot of positive things from the week in South Tyrol. “I beat three good people,” said Novak, who had won against Matthias Bachinger, Dustin Brown and Simone Bolelli.

“It was the first time for me that I played on such a fast surface, but that seems to suit me,” he explained. Next week there will be another premiere for the world’s number 145 when Novak will hit the carpet for the first time at the ATP-Challenger in Ismaning. “I’ve heard that things should be going very quickly there too,” the Austrian was looking forward to his next appearance.

This year’s event marked the 20th edition of an international tennis event in Val Gardena. After eleven ITF women’s tournaments in 2018, it was the ninth time that the men were invited with an ATP Challenger.

“We have grown steadily over the years,” said OC President Ellis Kasslatter, who was involved in the organisation right from the start: “Of course it was always our aim to offer the players from South Tyrol a platform to gain experience in international tennis.

Particular attention was paid to the participation of Andreas Seppi, by far the biggest tennis star in the northern Italian region. The now 34-year-old from Bozen/Bolzano competed four times in Ortisei, twice winning the title. “Since the larger events in Asia are scheduled parallel to our tournament week, Andreas is unfortunately there more often. That’s understandable, but of course it’s a shame for our tournament. People are always happy to see him live on the square,” said Kasslatter, who runs a marketing agency in her “normal” life as well as a bed and breakfast.

The future of the challengers in Ortisei is uncertain at this time. The upcoming reform of the ATP in the coming year poses a number of challenges for those responsible.

“We need an additional training place and additional hotel capacity. This is not easy for us as a small tennis club to lift. Moreover, tennis is not the biggest sport in our region, which is mainly dominated by skiing. I would be sorry if it didn’t go on because we have a lot of volunteers who are passionate about it,” Kasslatter explained.

There is no doubt that the pot with the total prize money will be smaller if it is continued. Further talks with the ATP will follow in the coming weeks and months, and it is well known that hope is dying last.