Bengaluru, American tennis participant Brandon Holt clinched his second ATP Challenger title of the season with a fluent 6-3 6-3 win over Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki within the Bengaluru Open remaining right here on Sunday.
HT Picture
Organised by the Karnataka State Garden Tennis Affiliation , the Bengaluru Open is an ATP Challenger 125 event.
Serving first within the midst of a packed home on the KSLTA Tennis Stadium, third seed Holt, son of Tennis Corridor of Famer Tracy Austin, saved two break factors within the very first recreation earlier than capitalising on Mochizuki’s unforced errors to go up a break.
The American set the early development together with his deadly serves, forcing his opponent on the again foot and racing to a 3-0 lead. He then broke once more within the sixth recreation, overturning a 0-30 deficit to increase his benefit to 5-1.
Mochizuki discovered his rhythm late within the first set, breaking Holt in recreation seven with out dropping a degree earlier than holding serve with a collection of commanding winners.
Holt, who had received the Nonthaburi Challenger earlier within the yr, countered Mochizuki’s baseline play within the subsequent recreation, nevertheless, charging the web to arrange two set factors earlier than sealing the opener 6-3.
The second set took an analogous form to the primary, with Holt seizing the higher hand by breaking Mochizuki twice on both facet of his personal profitable service recreation to race to a 3-0 lead.
Charged by the group’s relentless help, the Japanese although got here roaring again into the tie, changing considered one of three break factors in recreation 4 earlier than holding his serve within the following recreation.
Because the set wore on, rallies between the 2 gamers turned longer, a lot to the delight of a cheerful crowd, which erupted in celebration when Mochizuki hit an excellent forehand cross-court winner within the eighth recreation.
Holt, nonetheless, stood agency and nipped his opponent’s momentum within the bud, setting himself up for the win.
By his dominant win, Holt acquired a money award of USD 28,400 and 125 essential ATP factors for his effort, whereas Mochizuki pocketed USD 16,700 and 75 factors.