Kasnikowski, 20, saves 6 MPs en route to first Challenger title

FPT/Sara Falcao

Despite being on the brink of defeat in his opening match this past week, Poland’s Maks Kasnikowski went on a dream run to earn his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title at the Oeiras Indoor 1.

The 20-year-old fought off six match points against Adrian Andreev in the opening round and built upon his momentum, defeating three home favourites en route to the title, including in Sunday’s final, where he overcame Portugal's Gastao Elias 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-3.

“The feeling is fantastic, I can’t even describe it,” Kasnikowski said in his post-tournament press conference. “I’m really happy I can start the year with a good result and win the title.”

Kasnikowski is the second-youngest Polish champion in ATP Challenger Tour history. Only a 19-year-old Jerzy Janowicz was younger when he won in St. Remy, France, in 2010.

How did the #NextGenATP star celebrate his triumph in Portugal? By doing homework!

“I would like to celebrate but I also do university online and today I have a deadline on some project, so now I will go to the hotel and do some work,” said Kasnikowski, who is at a career-high No. 279 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. “Maybe if I finish the job, we will have a good dinner.”

In other ATP Challenger Tour action, Frenchman Arthur Cazaux lifted his third trophy at that level by capturing the Open SIFA Nouvelle-Caledonie in Noumea. The 21-year-old ousted countryman Enzo Couacaud 6-1, 6-1 in the final.

Celebrating the win the Noumea way 🏆#ATPChallenger | @ArthurCazaux pic.twitter.com/MG3MEB1s7C

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) January 6, 2024

Cazaux, who is at a career-high No. 108, also made a hot start to the 2023 season, when he started the year on a 13-match winning streak, including a title run in Thailand.

Dominik Koepfer dropped just one set all week to be crowned champion at the Workday Canberra International, marking his fifth Challenger triumph. The German lefty cruised past Czech teen Jakub Mensik 6-3, 6-3 in the final and fought off all six break points he faced.

Koepfer avenged last year’s Prague Challenger final loss to Mensik, who then claimed his home title despite competing in just his sixth outing.

^{Dominik Koepfer wins the Challenger 125 event in Canberra, Australia. Credit: Anastasia Kachalkova}
Valentin Vacherot gave his home country Monaco its second Challenger title on Sunday after triumphing at the Bangkok Open 1, where he led Lucas Pouille 3-2 in the final before the Frenchman was forced to retire with a lower back injury.

Vacherot, 25, earned his first Challenger crown — which also came in Bangkok — in August 2022. The former Texas A&M University star is now at a career-high No. 219.

The former World No. 10 Pouille was aiming for his first title since April 2019. Both Vacherot and Pouille reached the final after advancing through qualifying.

^{Valentin Vacherot wins the Challenger 75 event in Nonthaburi, Thailand. Credit: Bangkok Open}