Jaimee Fourlis (AUS) def [5] Ipek Oz (TUR) 7-6(0), 6-2
Jaimee Fourlis has enjoyed the biggest week of her tennis career, taking out the ITF 60K title in Brasov, Romania.
The 22-year-old dominated her first four matches of the event, dropping no more than five games in any of them, en route to the biggest final of her career.
In the opening set of the decider, Fourlis found herself down 5-0 against her Turkish opponent, before fending off a set point to force a tiebreaker where she prevailed in flawless fashion.
The second set was much more straightforward, as the Australian found an early break and carried that momentum to claim her first 60K title.
Fourlis had previously reached five professional singles finals, all coming at 25K level or lower, and is now an incredible 6-0 in tournament deciders.
This week’s triumph brings about her second singles title of the season and will boost her live WTA ranking up to a career-high 176.
The Australian Open Mixed Doubles champion revealed her emotions after a very successful week.
“I’m super happy to have won here in Romania, winning my first 60K final which is really exciting, and I actually have a new career-high as well,” Fourlis said.
“So much hard work has been put into this, so I’m really happy that I was able to get the job done today.”
“Next week I will head off to Madrid to play a 25K on hard and then off to Wimbledon Quallies”.
Fourlis, who set herself the goal of reaching the top 150 this year, is now nearing that milestone and will hopefully continue her rise over the coming months.
[2] Talia Gibson (AUS) def [4] Maria Kozyreva (RUS) 7-6(4), 3-6, 7-6(5)
17-year-old Talia Gibson has also enjoyed her most successful week on the professional tennis tour, taking out the ITF 15K event in Santa Fe, California.
After working her way to the final in strong fashion, Gibson was pushed all the way in the decider, coming from 5-2 down in the third set to claim a hard-fought victory.
In doing so, the young Australian won her first ITF professional singles title, after winning three junior titles back in 2019.
Gibson had previously contested one ITF final six weeks prior where she managed just the one game, massively improving the score line to triumph this time around.
Gibson is now 16-3 overall since leaving Australia in April and will make her WTA top 700 debut when her ITF points are added, and rankings are updated.
[Q] Omar Jasika (AUS) def [4] Jerome Kym (CHE) 6-2, 6-2
Omar Jasika has continued his brilliant return to professional tennis in 2022, claiming his fourth singles title of the season in Heraklion, Greece.
The 25-year-old initially came through qualifying, ultimately winning seven matches in seven days, and dropping just 28 games for the entire week.
Jasika is now on a 12-game winning streak, having lifted consecutive titles on the Greek hard courts, and is 39/8 overall on the season.
He has also triumphed in four of his five ITF finals this year, only going down to fellow Aussie Jason Kubler, who is amidst a brilliant season himself.
The Australian’s live ATP ranking will rise to approximately 430 in the world – incredible considering he was unranked just a few months ago in February.
Arina Rodionova (AUS) def by [2] Alison van Uytvanck (BEL) 7-6(3), 6-2
32-year-old Arina Rodionova was yet another Aussie to enjoy the best week of her singles career, reaching the ITF 100K final in Surbiton, England.
Rodionova had previously reached one final at 100K level, which came 12 months earlier against the same opponent, both taking place on British grass courts.
Last year, the Australian dropped the first set 6-0 and was not going to let that happen again, taking a 3-0 lead of her own this time around.
However, her Belgian opponent fought back to take the opening set in a tiebreak before rolling through the second in a more dominant fashion.
Nonetheless, it was a brilliant week for Rodionova, who took down top seed and world number 57 Madison Brengle, and also scored dominant wins over 7th and 8th seeds Coco Vandeweghe and Qiang Wang, who are both currently inside the WTA top 130.
Her WTA ranking has risen from 188 to 147, which is Rodionova’s equal highest placement since July 2018.
[3] Thomas Fancutt (AUS) def by [1] Ly Hoang Nam (VNM) 6-3, 6-4
27-year-old Thomas Fancutt reached his fourth professional singles final and first in over 12 months, at the 15K event in Tay Ninh, Vietnam.
The Australian managed four consecutive wins on his way to the final, before running into local top seed Ly.
Fancutt had a chance to bring the match level at 5-5 in the second, but was unable to capitalise, ultimately falling in straight sets.
After dropping 6 ranking points and gaining 8, Fancutt’s ranking will remain relatively unchanged, sitting just outside the ATP top 600.
Doubles:
Australian Gabriella Da Silva Fick won her third career ITF doubles title in Greece. Alongside Greek teammate Eleni Christofi, the pair took out the final 6-0, 6-1 in a dominant display.
“We had a really great week. It’s the first time we’ve played together. We were actually meant to play with different partners but at the last minute they both pulled out, so it worked out pretty well.”
After four weeks of tennis in Greece, Da Silva Fick will now head to France and the Netherlands to continue her 2022 season.
Australian duo Brandon Walkin and Matthew Romios won the ITF doubles event in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
For 27-year-old Walkin, it is his ninth career doubles title, while 23-year-old Romios picks up his fifth.
Walkin spoke on-court after winning the final in a super tiebreak.
“This is our first time here and we’ve had a lovely time. We actually ended up being here by accident, so I’m glad we did come.”
Aussie Mitchell Harper also reached an ITF doubles final, but fell agonisingly short in the final, going down 21-19 in the deciding super-tiebreak.
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