Meet the 10 first-time singles winners on the ATP Tour in 2022, ft. Lorenzo Musetti and Felix Auger-Aliassime
Lorenzo Musetti upset new World No. 5 Carlos Alcaraz in Hamburg on Sunday to win the first ATP singles title of his fledgling career.
In the process, the 20-year-old emulated his compatriot Fabio Fognini (2013) as the only Italian player to win the tournament in the last four decades. Musetti, playing his first tour-level final, had to do it the hard way, squandering five championship points before making good on his next.
2013 - After winning his maiden ATP-Tour title in Hamburg, Lorenzo #Musetti has become the first Italian male player to win this tournament since Fabio #Fognini in 2013. Bravo.
@atptour @ATPMediaInfo https://t.co/Qqs6yErV8d
The Italian has now joined nine other players to have won their first singles title on the ATP tour this year. On that note, here's a look at the ten first-time ATP singles winners in 2022:
#10) Lorenzo Musetti (Hamburg)
Lorenzo Musetti celebrated the biggest win of his young career on Sunday, beating hot favorite Carlos Alcaraz in three sets in the Hamburg final to win his first singles title.
In a tight first set, Musetti rode a lone break to take a one-set lead. Another break in the second almost sufficed, but the Italian squandered championship points at 5-4, 40-15 and three more in the ensuing tiebreak, where he let slip a 6-3 lead.
However, Alcaraz's comeback proved shortlived, as Musetti converted his sixth opportunity to reign supreme.
First career title in AMBURGO ✅🏆
@atptour @Lorenzo1Musetti https://t.co/tpl2Hal4YS
With the win, Musetti ascends to a career-best ranking of World No. 31. Meanwhile, the defeat meant Alcaraz failed to become only the third player (Martin Klizan and Ernests Gulbis) to win their first six singles finals.
#9) Maxime Cressy (Newport)
It was a case of third-time lucky for Maxime Cressy in Newport. After losing his first two finals in Melbourne and Eastbourne earlier this year, the American looked set to lose a third, as he trailed Alexander Bublik by a set and a double break.
To his credit, though, Cressy won six games in a row to level proceedings. He then survived a fall late in the third set to triumph in a tiebreak as Bublik was denied his second singles title.
FIRST ATP TOUR TITLE 🔥
Maxime Cressy defeats Alexander Bublik 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 to become the 2022 #InfosysHallOfFameOpen Singles Champion 🏆
@TennisHalloFame https://t.co/kvoZjTi3fr
With the win, Cressy climbed to a career-high ranking of 33 and is almost guaranteed to be seeded at the US Open next month.
#8) Francisco Cerundolo (Bastad)
In an all-Argentine final in Bastad, Francisco Cerundolo beat his compatriot Sebastian Baez to win his first singles title.
Playing his second career singles final - having lost to Diego Schwartzman in Buenos Aires last year - Cerundolo saved six break points in the 11th game to win the ensuing tiebreak.
Riding his momentum in the second, the 23-year-old broke Baez twice to register the biggest win of his career.
The moment @FranCerundolo clinched his maiden ATP Tour title! 🏆
@NordeaOpen https://t.co/EIU59HLB7A
With the win, Cerundolo broke into the top 30 of the ATP rankings after entering the top 100 only in February this year.
#7) Tim van Rijthoven ('s-Hertogenbosch)
Tim van Rijthoven enjoyed a dream week on the grasscourts of his 'home' tournament in 's-Hertogenbosch.
Playing only his second main draw on the ATP Tour, the Dutch wildcard toppled top seed Daniil Medvedev for the loss of just five games in the final to bag his first singles title.
UNSTOPPABLE! Tim van Rijthoven beats Daniil Medvedev in two sets and wins the title on home ground!! 🏆💥💯
Incredible performance from the local hero 🇳🇱
#LibemaOpen #tennis
Displaying little signs of nerves in his maiden singles final, van Rijthoven reigned supreme in 65 minutes. In the process, he became the first Dutchman (Sjeng Schalken - 2003) to win 's-Hertogenbosch in nearly two decades.
With the win, the 25-year-old jumped up 99 places to a career-high ranking of 106. He is the lowest-ranked ATP titlist in 2022.
#5) Sebastian Baez (Estoril)
Sebastian Baez enjoyed a memorable week in Estoril, beating Frances Tiafoe to win his first singles title.
Playing his second final - after losing to Pedro Martinez in Santiago earlier this year - Baez made a slow start, falling behind a break. He almost trailed 3-0 but scripted an amazing turnaround.
He would drop only three more games in the remainder of the match to win the title, after beating three former champions (Joao Sousa, Richard Gasquet and defending champion Albert Ramos-Vinolas) en route.
🏆 Baez triumphs in Estoril! 🏆
@sebaabaez7 wins his FIRST ATP title beating Frances Tiafoe 6-3 6-2!
@EstorilOpen | #EstorilOpen https://t.co/R5Fyp6AMa5
With the triumph, the 21-year-old broke into the top 40 of the rankings for the first time.
#5) Holger Rune (Munich)
Holger Rune is the only teenager to win his maiden ATP singles title in 2022. The Dane did so by beating Botic van de Zandschlup in the Munich final.
In a final between two first-time finalists, it was the 19-year-old Rune who had the last laugh, albeit in anticlimactic circumstances. Leading 4-3, 15-40 on Rune's serve, Van de Zandschlup called it a day due to an aching chest.
🏆 @holgerrune2003 wins his first ATP title in Munich as Botic van de Zandschulp retires at 4-3!
@BMWOpen2022 | #BMWOpenbyAmex https://t.co/JcHF8CSRwr
The win saw Rune break into the top 40 of the ATP rankings for the first time. The Dane is the third youngest Munich champion in the Open Era.
#4) Pedro Martinez (Santiago)
Pedro Martinez had the best week of his career in Santiago, beating first-time finalist Sebastian Baez to win his first singles title.
Playing his second singles final - after losing to Casper Ruud in Kitzbuhel last year - Martinez had to do it the hard way. Trailing by a set, the Spaniard fought back to eventually prevail in a near three-hour slugfest in the Chilean capital and become the third ATP singles winner this year.
First time feelz 😁
The moment @PedroMPortero locked up his first ATP title at Santiago.
#ChileDoveMenCareOpen https://t.co/vuQi0V8Jb8
With the triumph, the 24-year-old broke into the top 70 in the singles rankings for the first time.
#3) Felix Auger-Aliassime (Rotterdam)
Felix Auger-Aliassime finally stood on the winner's podium after eight failed attempts, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Rotterdam final.
Going 0-8 in his first eight finals, the 21-year-old was in no mood for another disappointment in a title match. Auger-Aliassime didn't concede a breakpoint to Tsitsipas, dropping just six games in a rather lopsided clash to win his first singles title.
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He’s done it! 🤩
Felix Auger-Aliassime has won his first career title, defeating Tsitsipas in the #abnamrowtt final: 6-4 6-2. 🎉 🎊
What a story for the 21-year-old, capturing his first singles 🏆 at the tournament where he made his ATP debut in 2018 as a 🚾. 😍 https://t.co/w1LxFScoYP
Interestingly, it was in Rotterdam four years ago that the World No. 9 made his ATP Tour debut.
#2) Alexander Bublik (Montpellier)
Alexander Bublik was the last man standing in Montpellier, beating top seed Alexander Zverev to win his first singles title.
Playing his fifth final, the 24-year-old had his task cut out against Zverev. However, he put out a serving exhibition, blasting eight aces and winning 86% of his first serve points to beat the then World No. 3 for the second time in as many meetings.
Alexander Bublik wins his 1st ATP Tour title after defeating Alexander Zverev 6-4 6-3 in Montpellier💪
#OSDF22 https://t.co/2U2TVUD76E
With the win, the 25-year-old Kazakh climbed to a career-best ranking of World No. 31.
#1) Thanasi Kokkinakis (Adelaide)
Thanasi Kokinakkis enjoyed a dream week in Adelaide at the start of the year. Entering the tournament as a wildcard, the then World No. 145 beat Arthur Rinderknech to win his first ATP singles title.
In a hard-fought match, Kokkinakis dropped the opener on a tiebreak. However, he took the second set on a tiebreak to level proceedings before completing his victory in the third.
Welcome to the trophy club, @TKokkinakis 🏆
The world No.145 wins his maiden ATP Tour title, defeating Arthur Rinderknech 6-7(6) 7-6(5) 6-3 to be crowned the 2022 #AdelaideTennis men's singles champion.
Next: #AusOpen https://t.co/baem5VjkpJ
With the win, Kokkinakis climbed to the cusp of the top 100 - his highest singles ranking in six years.