It takes the Frenchman more than 3 hours to overtake the Serbian in the 175-point premium tournament in Sardinia
Ugo Humbert won the first edition of the Sardegna Open, a premium event in the newly formed ATP Challenger 175 category. After Friday’s record-breaking 4 hours and 13 minutes to beat the Japanese Taro Daniel, the left-handed man from Metz took another three (and 8 minutes) to overcome the strenuous resistance of Laslo Djere, in a very high-level final that several times seemed to be able to take the Serbian’s path, both in the second set and in a third led 3-1 by the 27-year-old from Senta, with two balls -break of 4-1. Instead, Humbert won the last point, finishing 4-6 7-5 6-4 and indulging in a long celebration that accompanied his eighth Challenger title, the most important and above all the first in his career on clay joke.
FIRST ON RED
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A detail, that of the surface, which is far from trivial given that on red the transalpine had never been able to express the tennis shown at Monte Urpinu. “I’ll never forget this week – he said at the press conference -, because I’ve always hated playing on clay, so to have even managed to win the title is an incredible feeling. I have never finished a tournament so tired. Tackling Djere is hell – he always forces you to play an extra ball and after 3 hours it becomes difficult. I’m proud of how I managed to go and get the cup.”