TALLAHASSEE, April 25, 2021
The championship match of the 2021 Tallahassee Tennis Challenger is set with Jenson Brooksby taking on Bjorn Fratangelo for the title.
Saturday’s semis kicked off at 10:00 a.m. local time with No. 2 seed Denis Kudla taking to the court against fellow US-American Fratangelo. The two hung tight in the first set, ultimately going to a tie-break where Fratangelo came out on top 7-6 (2).
Meanwhile on Court 1, Brooksby faced Argentine Facundo Mena in the second semi-final. The 20-year-old from the United States was able to grab a quick lead and take the opening set 6-3. Shortly into the second set, play was suspended due to weather.
After a five-hour delay due to lightning and rain, play resumed with Fratangelo firing all cylinders. The 27-year-old jumped on break point opportunities and was able to close the match 7-6 (2), 6-2 after one hour and 42 minutes.
On Court 1, Mena took a hold of his early break in the second to take the set 6-4 and force the third. Brooksby bounced back to win the match 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 17 minutes and advance to his fourth Challenger final.
Jenson Brooksby is unstoppable! Final bound at @TallyChallenger.
✅ 18-2 #ATPChallenger mark in 2021
✅ FOURTH final of the year (most before May since 2017)
✅ Back-to-back finals on different surfaces📸 @JacobMStuckey pic.twitter.com/QFtWFDWgwP
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) April 24, 2021
The only meeting between Brooksby and Fratangelo came in the singles final of the Cleveland Open last month. Fratangelo came out on top, winning 7-5, 6-4.
Championship Sunday will get underway at 12:00 p.m. with No. 1 seeds Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos of Brazil taking on US-American wild card entries Sekou Bangoura and Donald Young in the doubles final. The singles final will follow.
Saturday, April 24 – RESULTS
Men’s Singles – Semifinals
B. Fratangelo (USA) d [2] D. Kudla (USA) 76(2) 62
J. Brooksby (USA) d F. Mena (ARG) 63 46 64
Sunday, April 25 – SCHEDULE
STADIUM COURT start 12:00 noon
[1] O. Luz (BRA) / R. Matos (BRA) vs [WC] S. Bangoura (USA) / D. Young (USA)
DOUBLES AWARD CEREMONY
Not Before 1:30 pm
J. Brooksby (USA) vs B. Fratangelo (USA)
