Second-seeded Adrian Mannarino defeated teenager Alex Michelsen, 6-2, 6-4, to win the Hall of Fame Open ultimate on Sunday.
The 35-year-old Frenchman relied on his constant play and perhaps some jitters from the 18-year-old American to seize his third ATP tour title.
“Tennis is a real mental game,” Mannarino stated. “Even if you’re missing but trying to go for winners, it’s giving some information to your opponent that you’re not going to choke and you’re going to take a little bit of a chance in some games.”
Under shiny blue skies with a slight breeze and temperatures within the low 80’s, Mannarino broke within the fifth and seventh video games of a primary set that lasted simply 27 minutes.
The set closed when Mannarino hit a forehand passing shot down the road.
“I’m feeling pretty lucky that I got all the way through this week,” stated Mannarino, who performed on Newport’s grass courts for the tenth time however made his first ultimate within the shadows of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Playing in simply his second ATP tour occasion after capturing a Challenger title in Chicago final week, Michelsen appeared considerably tight early, hitting a handful of unforced errors.
“I played pretty poorly from the start,” he stated.
Michelsen was trying to grow to be the youngest ATP tour occasion champion this season, and the youngest American to win a title since Hall of Famer Andy Roddick gained Houston in 2001.
“It was a really good week. I got a ton of points,’’ said the California native, who committed and signed to play college tennis with Georgia but said he’d have to reassess when he returns home.
“I was here on my own, trying to figure it out,” he stated. “I think I did pretty well. It was a very good week, very positive week, not too many negatives, for sure.”
He appeared stronger to begin the second set, breaking within the second sport, however Mannarino broke again the following sport, hitting a backhand previous Michelsen down the road because the teenager was on the web trying to hit a return.
“I knew it was going to be a lot more about rallies and that’s usually when I feel confident,” Mannarino stated. “It’s all about what you’re going to show to your opponent, and today I was trying to make him think I was comfortable.”
Mannarino took management, breaking within the ninth sport of the second set. The 1 hour, 22-minute match ended when Michelsen hit a backhand return vast on the ultimate level.
The match is held at the side of enshrinement ceremonies into the Hall.
Esther Vergeer, 42, a dominant wheelchair participant that captured 21-time Grand Slam singles titles and a seven-time Paralympic gold medalist, led the category of 2023. She was inducted Saturday night with American Rick Draney, 61, who gained 12 singles titles and 6 in doubles earlier than the Grand Slam period of wheelchair tennis.