BRIT KYLE EDMUND OUTLASTS MONFILS IN ANTWERP, TSITSIPAS AND KHACHANOV ALSO TRIUMPH

Written by: Staff on 21st October 2018

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.”

Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas during the ATP Stockholm Open tennis tournament men’s single final against Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis at the Royal Tennis Hall on October 21 2018, in Stockholm, Sweden. EPA-EFE/Soren Andersson/TT SWEDEN OUT

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.”