Jaume Munar wins his sixth Challenger title in Türkiye

There’s no better way to start a season than by lifting a trophy. And that’s what Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar player Jaume Munar achieved this Sunday, at the ATP Challenger Tour in Antalya , after defeating #NextGenATP star Lorenzo Musetti 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-2 in two hours and 21 minutes.

The difficulty level of the final was doubly high for both teams. Not only because they were facing a highly charged match with a trophy at stake, but also because it was the second match of the day for both teams, due to rain delays in the preceding days.

To reach the final round, Munar had to start the day by defeating fellow countryman Tommy Robredo 6-0, 6-1 in 61 minutes. Musetti, meanwhile, needed more time on court to defeat local wild card Cem Ilkel. However, the 18-year-old Carrara native had to come from behind to win 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-1 in two hours and 12 minutes.

Shortly after securing their place in the final, both the Spaniard and the Italian returned to the clay of Antalya to battle for their first crown of the season. While Musetti had previously competed in the Istanbul Challenger (l. to Benjamin Bonzi in the second round) and the Australian Open qualifier in Doha (l. to Botic Van de Zandschulp), this was the first event of 2021 for the Spaniard.

Munar, who started as the top seed on the Turkish clay, seized the opportunity and was able to recover from the opening set, losing it 9-7 in a tie-break. A subsequent 6-2 doubles victory gave him his sixth career ATP Challenger Tour crown, allowing him to celebrate a trophy of this category for the fifth consecutive season.

Escorted by Tomeu Salvá in the stands (and by the fitness trainer at the Domingo Rosselló Academy), Jaume will play another tournament in Antalya this week with the aim of continuing to add titles to his list.

The 6 ATP Challenger Tour of Munar

2017. Challenger of El Espinar (Segovia, Spain)

2018. Prostejov Challenger (Czech Republic)

2018. Caltanissetta Challenger (Italy)

2019. Montevideo Challenger (Uruguay)

2020. Lisbon Challenger (Portugal)

2021. Antalya Challenger (Türkiye)