TENNIS – Mikhail Kukushkin outgunned Richard Gasquet, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, in the men’s singles final of the Ministry of Interior Bahrain Tennis Challenger at the Public Security Officers Club last night to clinch his 15th ATP Tour Challenger title.
The riveting encounter between Russian-born Kazakh Kukushkin, 36, and Frenchman Gasquet, 37, was the second-oldest in ATP Challenger Tour final history, behind only the 2018 Monterrey title clash in which Ivo Karlovic, 39, was defeated by David Ferrer, 36.
But both Kukushkin, who reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2020, and former world number seven Gasquet – who played in two Wimbledon semi-finals (in 2007 and 2015) and one US Open semi-final (2013) – belied their years as they skipped about the court in front of a full house that supported each player with equal enthusiasm.
Gasquet, who was aiming for his 10th Challenger trophy, took a 2-1 lead in the first set but Kukushkin, who grew in confidence as the match went on, broke his opponent’s serve to draw level before holding his own serve to lead 3-2.
Long rallies were the hallmark of the games that followed with neither player relinquishing his serve as the set headed into a tie-break.
Kukushkin was now serving with great power and generally looked more fluent than Gasquet who continued to make unforced errors as the Kazakh won the tie-break 7-5, taking the 63-minute first set, 7-6.
As the second set began, Gasquet looked more assured in his first service game but faltered in his second, allowing Kukushkin to break him and take a 2-1 lead.
The Kazakh then held his own serve to extend his lead to 3-1 and, even though Gasquet managed to hold his serve in every game that followed, he was still making too many unforced errors.
Soon, leading 5-4, Kukushkin was serving for the match at 40-15 and, after a short-ish rally, Gasquet sent a backhand straight into the net with the Kazakh holding his arms aloft in triumph and the crowd rising to applaud him.
The duo of Spaniard Sergio Martos Gornes and Greek Petros Tsitsipas won the men’s doubles title beating the pair of American Vasil Kirov and Finland’s Patrik Niklas Salminen 3-6, 6-3, 10-8.
Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa attended the finale and honoured the winners with trophies and mementoes.
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