ATP Tour wrap: Carreno Busta, Anderson and Ruud add to trophy collections
TWO favourites earned tournament wins overnight as the Hamburg European Open, Hall of Fame Open and Nordea Open came to a close, with all three finals completed in straight sets.
In Germany, it was Pablo Carreno Busta who claimed his first ATP 500 trophy and sixth overall, as the Spanish second seed downed sixth seed Serbian Filip Krajinovic, 6-2 6-4 in 82 minutes. With an 81 per cent win rate off his first serve, Carreno Busta was relentless as he fired to continue his strong form on clay, having not dropped a set in Hamburg.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Carreno Busta said. “I think that I worked very, very hard to finally win this title. “It’s my first ATP 500 title.”
“I felt very comfortable during the whole week from the first match,” he said. “I think that I played very good and I continued improving during the week. That’s very important and today in the final I probably played the best match of the tournament.”
In Newport, United States, South African Kevin Anderson returned to the winners circle, defeating American hopeful Jenson Brooksby and cutting off the 20-year-old’s exceptional run with a 7-6(8) 6-4 victory. Earning his sixth ATP Tour title did not come easy, with the American fighting until the bitter end in his main draw debut.
“It’s been a pretty tough run with some injuries. But to be back here at the International Tennis Hall of Fame with such history, this couldn’t be a better week for me to start, hopefully, my comeback,” Anderson said during the trophy ceremony. “I’m very motivated to get back. But it all starts with each match, and I was able to really grind it out.”
“Thanks to the tournament for giving me a wild card. It definitely worked out for me,” Anderson said. “The last time I was here was in 2008. It’s significant in a way. I was just starting my career, and I guess I’m towards the end, but definitely [am] very motivated to keep going.”
Anderson hit 16 aces throughout the two-hour and 11-minute contest, winning 81 per cent of his first serve points but could only remain marginally ahead of Brooksby, who ran out the game with six aces and winning 77 per cent of his first serve points.
“It’s amazing to get all the support from you guys, it gives me energy,” Brooksby said. “It was awesome playing here and I hope to be back again and pushing for more of these results.”
At Nordea, it was favourite and clay-court talent Casper Ruud who took out the trophy, skating past Argentinian Federico Coria in straight sets, 6-3 6-3. It was the Norwegian’s third tour-level title, of which all have been claimed on clay, and second for the year to follow on from a solid 2020.
“It was an incredible week, maybe the best week of my life,” Ruud said. “It is an incredible feeling playing here in Bastad with the Swedish, Norwegian and Danish support. There is nothing like that home crowd feeling.
“To win here means a lot. You get a little extra nervous as the No. 1 seed. Me and my father [former World No. 39 Christian Ruud] have been joking about when I am going to beat him at this and this, and now I think I have beaten him in everything! “The Ruud family can finally bring the trophy home to Norway. “It is a special feeling having him here with me.”
Ruud did not drop a set throughout the tournament, and brought that winning mentality with him to the final with an impressive and consistent service game, and return game to match as he claimed 62 per cent of the overall points.
HAMBURG EUROPEAN OPEN FINAL RESULT:
[2] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) defeated [6] Filip Krajinovic (SRB) 6-2 6-4
HALL OF FAME OPEN FINAL RESULT:
[8] Kevin Anderson (RSA) defeated Jenson Brooksby (USA) 7-6 6-4
NORDEA OPEN FINAL RESULT:
[1] Casper Ruud (NOR) defeated Federico Coria (ARG) 6-3 6-3
Picture credit: Witters/Hamburg European Open
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