BLOOMFIELD HILLS/STARNBERG, July 10, 2023
At the age of 33, Steve Johnson found his way back to the winners’ circle with an impressive week on home soil. The US-American has clinched the title of the inaugural Cranbrook Tennis Classic. The ATP Challenger Tour 75 hard-court tournament offered a total prize money of y $80,000 and was held at the Cranbrook Schools Tennis Complex in Bloomfield Hills, a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan.
Johnson, who peaked at World No. 21 in the ATP Rankings in 2016 and is one of the greatest college tennis players of all time, fought past Kazakh veteran Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4, 6-7(7), 7-6(4) in a thrilling championship match on a sunny Sunday in Bloomfield Hills.
The California native, currently ranked World No. 219, came back from 2-4 down in the third set, fired 21 aces and won 71 per cent of his first-service points to seal victory in three hours and 13 minutes. There was also lots of drama at the end of the encounter, as Kukushkin refused to shake hands with Johnson followed by a verbal confrontation between the two.
🇺🇸 🔝@SJohnson_89 | @usta | #ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/99tqv4Lqi9
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) July 9, 2023
By lifting his first trophy in three years, his eighth triumph on the Challenger Circuit overall in addition to his four title wins on the ATP Tour, Johnson earned $10,840 in prize money as well as 75 ATP Ranking points.
“It is a first-class event. The organizers did a fantastic and impressive job. Thanks to the crowd, who created an incredible atmosphere,” Johnson said during the trophy ceremony. After a four-hour drive, he will next compete in the Chicago Men’s Challenger this week.
“It was quite a good experience during my first time here in Bloomfield Hills. Thanks to everyone,” said Kukushkin after his 25th Challenger final.
Schoolkate/Walton triumph in doubles
On Saturday, Tristan Schoolkate and Adam Walton captured the doubles title. In an all-Australian final, the pair defeated Blake Ellis and Calum Puttergill 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 18 minutes.
By winning their first team title on the Challenger Tour, Schoolkate and Walton split $4,645 in prize money and earned 75 ATP Doubles Ranking points.
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