
ATP roundup: Alexander Bublik wins in Gstaad for first title on clay
Bublik, the second seed, won his sixth tour title at the ATP 250 event in the Swiss Alps, in his first final on clay courts. It also was his first meeting with Argentina's Cerundolo.
Bublik had 13 aces among his 47 winners in the two-hour, eight-minute match. Cerundolo posted 21 winners against 25 unforced errors.
In June, Bublik won the ATP 500 event in Halle, Germany.
Nordea Open
No. 6 seed Luciano Darderi of Italy captured the championship in Bastad, Sweden, with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over unseeded Dutchman Jesper De Jong.
De Jong was in search of his first career ATP Tour title. It was the third for Darderi, all on clay. He won at Marrakech, Morocco, earlier this season and in Cordoba, Argentina, in 2024
Darderi won 81 per cent (38-of-47) of the points on his first serve and converted three break points, compared to two for De Jong. In the end, just three points separated the two, with Darderi winning 80 and De Jong 77.
Plava Laguna Croatia Open
The first round in Umag, Croatia, began Sunday with a pair of three-set matches.
Czech eighth seed Vit Kopriva rallied past Belgium's Raphael Collignon 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Kopriva edged Collignon in aces 7-6 while saving 11 of 16 break points and converting 6 of 12 chances to break his opponent's serve.
Italy's Francesco Passaro also came from behind in a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Croatian wild card Matej Dodig. Passaro limited himself to 17 unforced errors to Dodig's 33.
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