HERSONISSOS/STARNBERG, March 7, 2026
An all-British final has been set at the ITC Crete Challenger, with Harry Wendelken and Toby Samuel advancing to the title match after convincing semifinal victories on Saturday.
World No. 277 Wendelken defeated Bulgaria’s Dimitar Kuzmanov 6-4, 6-2 to secure his place in the final. The 24-year-old Cambridge native converted five of his nine break-point chances to reach his first final of the season.
Earlier, No. 5 seed Samuel, ranked world No. 244, produced a dominant display, crushing second-seeded Greek Stefanos Sakellaridis 6-2, 6-0 in just over an hour. The 23-year-old Winchester native won 89 per cent of his first-service points and broke his rival five times. Samuel will now compete in his first ATP Challenger final of the 2026 season.
No stopping Toby Samuel
The Brit cruises past Sakellaridis 6-2, 6-0 in just 56 minutes to punch his ticket to the Hersonissos final#ATPChallenger | @the_LTA pic.twitter.com/uadSut7Tnm
— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) March 7, 2026
Wendelken, champion of the Hersonissos Challenger 6 last season, won the only previous meeting between the two Englishmen at the ITF M25 event in Loughborough. Samuel is seeking his third ATP Challenger Tour career triumph, Wendelken could lift his second trophy.
Berrettini/Coppejans take doubles title
In other action, Jacopo Berrettini of Italy and Belgian Kimmer Coppejans captured the doubles title. They fought past Briton Finn Bass and Anthony Genov of Bulgaria 3-6, 6-1, 10-3 in one hour and 10 minutes.
Berrettini and Coppejans split € 2,680 in prize money and earned 50 ATP Doubles Ranking points.
The ITC Crete Challenger is being played at the Lyttos Beach Sports Center in Hersonissos.
