Jaume Munar wins his fifth Challenger in Lisbon

Jaume Munar faithfully attended his appointment with the ATP Challenger Tour titles, just as he has done season after season since winning his first crown in this category in 2017. That summer he won in El Espinar, Segovia, in 2018 he won in Prostejov (Czech Republic) and Caltanissetta (Italy), in 2019 he lifted the trophy in Montevideo (Uruguay), while this Sunday he made his debut in Lisbon (Portugal).

The Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar player completed a flawless week in which he didn’t drop a single set en route to the final against Sebastian Ofner, Borna Gojo, Alexandre Muller, and Federico Gaio. He didn’t drop a set in the final round, either, where he defeated second-seeded Joao Sousa 7-6(3), 6-2. “It was a very good week. I’ve played very well for a long time and I’ve shown that when I feel free, I play at a high level.”

Before stepping onto the court for the title match, Munar received some sage advice. From whom? The Santanyí native reveals: “ Rafa [Nadal] is someone I trust, and he helps me a lot. Even today, before the final, I spoke to him. He told me to stay calm, to follow my path, and to continue my work as I had done throughout the week.” And he did so throughout the hour and 19 minutes that the match lasted, ending with a victory celebration.

In these statements to ATPTour.com, the 23-year-old player from Santanyí confesses that “what you see on the court is the result of a lot of hard work, and Rafa knows it. I train at his academy, and my coach [Tomeu Salvà] is his best friend, so I spend a lot of time with him on and off the court. It’s a privilege.”

Munar’s level of play in Lisbon is no flash in the pan. He already displayed his best form at the recent Roland Garros tournament, pushing world No. 6 and this year’s semifinalist Stefanos Tsitsipas to the limit. The Spaniard came close to victory in a duel that ended in a tight 6-4, 6-2, 1-6, 4-6, 4-6. On the Portuguese clay, he reaped the rewards for his hard work over the previous weeks.

Now he leaves Lisbon with a record of 12 wins in 16 matches played in 2020 at Challengers and heads to Istanbul, where he starts as the second seed (he will debut against Sweden’s Elias Ymer). He will do so with a lesson learned: “This week I had a good experience and good feelings that I will try to maintain in the future.”