ATP Challenger: Tournament victory! Jurij Rodionov wins Challenger for the first time

Jurij Rodionov has continued his successful run and secured the first Challenger title of his career. At the clay court event in Almaty (Kazakhstan), 19-year-old Rodionov beat Serbian Peda Krstin 7-5 and 6-2.

Already in the semi-final Rodionov, who fought his way into the main field by qualifying, had shown a victory over the German Yannick Hanfmann (ATP number 114). Only a week earlier, he had failed at the Challenger in Shymkent in two sets against the 26-year-old.

“I gave my all and am proud to have reached my first final on a Challenger,” Rodionov wrote on his Facebook page.

Just one day later, however, he took the next hurdle and secured his first title on the second highest level of professional tennis. With the tournament victory Rodionov, who speaks fluent Russian, will probably improve from position 406 to position 292.

With 80 points for success, the Austrian ranks better than ever before in his career. In addition, he can look forward to a winner’s cheque of 7,200 US dollars.