Weekend Tennis Diary

 

The Associated Press reports that Andrey Rublev joined Novak Djokovic as the only men to win four tour singles titles in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season as he beat Borna Coric 7-6 (5), 6-4 on Sunday in the final of the St. Petersburg Open. Rublev came back from 5-2 down to win the first-set tiebreaker with a five-point streak. 

In the second set he broke Coric's serve at 2-2 before holding in his next three service games to complete the win. Rublev didn't face a single break point. The win brings Rublev closer to securing a spot at the ATP Finals next month after he moved into the top 10 of the rankings for the first time Monday. The Russian won the Qatar and Adelaide titles in January and added the Hamburg title last month.

Second seeds Jurgen Melzer and Edouard Roger-Vasselin captured their first team title on Sunday in  St. Petersburg, defeating Marcelo Demoliner and Matwe Middelkoop 6-2, 7-6(4) to lift the ATP 500 trophy.

The Austrian assumes the winning position

Meanwhile in Cologne, Alexander Zverev won an ATP Tour title for the fifth consecutive year on Sunday, defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 to triumph at the bett1HULKS Indoors. The 20-year-old Auger-Aliassime is still waiting for his first career title after losing six finals in two seasons, all of them in straight sets.

France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut claimed the Cologne doubles title after beating No. 1 seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo in the final, 6-4, 6-4. Herbert and Mahut, seeded at No. 2, saved four consecutive break points in the eighth game of the first set, before claiming the lone break of the opener a game later.

Alexander also played doubles with (really) big brother Mischa -- who in a rare singles appearance upset John Millman before narrowly losing to Hubert Hurkacz -- but fell to Raven Klaasen and Oliver Marach. Alex and Ryan Harrison need to start a support group for the hottest men to be the "ugly brother" in a family! 

Laslo Djere became the third Serbian to capture a tour-level trophy in 2020 on Sunday, claiming his second ATP Tour crown with a 7-6(3), 7-5 victory against Marco Cecchinato at the Forte Village Sardegna Open. 

The easy-on-the-eyes 25-year-old joined countrymen Novak Djokovic (4) and Miomir Kecmanovic (1) to take his nation’s trophy haul to six titles this year after two hours and 19 minutes. Serbian players own a 6-1 record in championship matches this season and Djokovic also led Team Serbia to the inaugural ATP Cup trophy in January..

In Challenger Land ...

Spanish teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz has joined the group of Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin Del Potro, Richard Gasquet and Felix Auger-Aliassime as the only players aged 17 and under to lift three trophies on the ATP Challenger Tour. The 17-year-old won the 2020 Alicante Ferrero Challenger held at the Club de Tenis Juan Carlos Ferrero de Villena. Alcaraz defeated compatriot Pedro Martinez Portero 7-6(6), 6-3 on a sunny Sunday morning in the Valencian Community.

Albano Olivetti -- seen here working out his 6-8 body -- and Enzo Couacoud took the doubles title. The unseeded Frenchmen edged past Spanish wild card entries Inigo Cervantes and Oriol Roca Batalla 4-6, 6-4, 10-2.

And Alex de Minaur captured the latest installment of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown

Elsewhere around the net ...

Despite a loss in the final, Borna Coric definitely looks to be back in form; Watch him stretch HERE.

Fellow Croat Franko Skugor -- who reached the St. Pete doubles semis with partner Ben McLachlan -- was also looking fit

Germany's Oscar Otte had a nice run to the round of 16 in his home town before losing to Radu Albot. (The 6-5 pretty boy got revenge on Albot in the quallies for this week's second event in Cologne.) Oddly, though, I found his woofy bedmates to be far more intriguing.

I'm guessing Liam Broady is referring to Jamie in his IG "ask me a question"! 

Liam seems to have posted this on a dare, although I'm not sure if it's the kitty or the booty in the back that has his commenters so excited!

And speaking of hot Brits: Did you get a load of this photo of British Davis Cup captain Leon Smith?

Or Kyle Edmund's new Wilson ad?

Or Lloyd Glasspool's modest post?

And my Damian had no problem spotting Cameron Norrie behind that mask during the Medvedev-Opelka match in St. Pete. (The jumbo American got his biggest win to date!)

After qualifying for St. Pete, Ohio sexpot J.J. Wolf extended Milos Raonic to a first-set tiebreak before running out of steam.

As my faith in Karen Khachanov wanes, what do we see as a more likely second act: News anchor ...

or male model?

And speaking of pretty boys, Stefanos knows what he's doing here

Masked man Tommy Paul 

Do two of the hottest men on the ATP Tour have to flaunt their sexualities?

Retirement's a picnic for Sam Groth

Doubles (and skincare) specialist Robert Farah hasn't been able to win a title since giving up "tainted meat" 

Cristian Garin announced his split from his Argentinian coach. (And I thought they made a hot Daddy-Son combo)

Jan-Michael has some fun in the sun (with Mom!)

Christian Harrison and his shadow (aka Cesar Ramirez)

A rare moment of alone time

If Matteo Berrettini wants me to buy an electric car, I'll do it

And last but certainly not least: German journeyman Tobias Simon didn't just get THOSE LEGS sitting around blogging ...