18. July 2009
Chardy Fights Back For First Title In Stuttgart
Jeremy Chardy captured his first ATP World Tour title and became the first Frenchman to win the MercedesCup in Stuttgart since Henri Leconte in 1984, after defeating fourth seed Victor Hanescu of Romania 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in Sunday’s final. It was the pair’s third meeting (Chardy 2-1).
Chardy, who won two matches on Saturday to reach his second ATP World Tour final, collected €71,700 and 250 South African Airways 2009 ATP Ranking points while Hanescu picked up €37,700 and 150 points.
The 22 year old, runner-up to compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the SA Tennis Open in Johannesburg in February, is the fourth first-time winner on the ATP World Tour circuit this year (also Guillermo Garcia-Lopez-Kitzbuhel, Benjamin Becker-‘s-Hertogenbosch and Rajeev Ram-Newport).
Chardy will move to around No. 35 in the South African Airways 2009 ATP Rankings. He is one of eight Frenchmen in the Top 50.
Hanescu, appearing in his third ATP World Tour final, clinched the first set in 31 minutes – courtesy of service breaks in the second and sixth games. The ATP World Tour No. 33 hit two aces and won 19 of 29 service points.
The second set went with serve until the sixth game, when Chardy sealed a service break. The Frenchman ran through the 31-minute set, winning 20 of 26 service points including four aces.
Chardy maintained his stranglehold on the match by jumping into a 4-0 lead in the third set, but Hanescu regained his composure and began to fight back. The soon-to-be 28-year-old broke serve in a seven-minute sixth game, and saved two break points in the next game to trail 3-4.
Hanescu was unable to convert two break point opportunities in the eighth game. Chardy sprang into life to clinch a fourth service break for victory in one hour and 49 minutes. The Frenchman hit 10 aces, five double faults and saved five of eight break points in total.
Chardy lost two sets (10-2) at the ATP World Tour 250 clay-court tennis tournament and improved to 26-17 (12-6 on clay) on the 2009 ATP World Tour season.
Hanescu dropped to 18-19 (12-8 on clay) on year, highlighted by three quarter-final exits at Doha (l. to Roddick), Casablanca (l. to Ferrero) and Kitzbuhel (l. to Garcia-Lopez).
