Maiden ATP title for Ugu Humbert while Andrey Rublev denies Lloyd Harris a first trophy

ATP Tour

Shahida Jacobs
January 18, 2020

Ugu Humbert can call himself an ATP Tour singles title winner after securing the ASB Classic while Andrey Rublev denied Lloyd Harris a similar honour in Adelaide.

In Auckland, Frenchman Humbert overcame some big names to reach the final against compatriot Benoit Paire as he beat second seed Denis Shapovalov, fourth seed John Isner as well as former Roland Garros semi-finalist Marco Cecchinato.

And he came out on top of the all-French affair as he beat the fifth-seeded Paire 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 7-6 (7-5) to lift his first ATP Tour singles trophy.

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“I’m really proud because it was a tournament of revenge,” Humbert said.

“I’ve lost against four of the five players I’ve played this week. Against [Casper] Ruud, Isner, Shapovalov and Benoit, so it’s meant a lot to me.

He added: “I don’t know if I’ve realised what I did today. But I’m extremely happy about my first ATP title.”

Over in Adelaide, Rublev continued his hot start to 2020 as he followed up his Doha crown with another trophy Down Under.

The Russian brushed aside first-time finalist Harris 6-3, 6-0 in just 56 minutes.

“I was not thinking about [this statistic], but it’s an amazing feeling… I’m really happy. I hope I keep working. I hope I keep improving, and we’ll see what’s going to happen,” Rublev is quoted as saying by ATP.

He added: “This is what we are working for, to be more consistent, to be more mentally strong,” said Rublev. “This is what we’re working for. And I’m happy that these two weeks went this way… I got two titles. It’s amazing. I never had this before.”

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Andrey Rublev Ugo Humbert