Tennis player Max Hawkes failed to extend his ATP title reign in Oldenzaal. The 23-year-old professional from Slin was killed in the semi-finals.
The tournament, which was held in Oldenzaal at the end of August last year, was the first professional tournament that the Hawks surprisingly won. This win in the $25,000 event marked the start of a unique run, because in the next three weeks the Hawks also won in a row in Haren, and then twice in a row in Casablanca, Morocco.
The beginning of Hawkes’ big jump on the ATP list
Combined with a surprise performance at the Challenger tournament in Amstelveen, where he recently defeated a world top 100 player for the first time, that fine run has placed Hawkes among the top 300 tennis players in the world.
In Amstelveen earlier this summer, Hawkes was unable to make any progress: he lost in the first round to unknown Romanian Ionel. In Oldenzaal, in a tournament with less powerful opponents, things went much better. The Hawks (ATP-299), seeded second, initially struggled with compatriot Denny Wasserman (6-7, 6-4, 6-3), but then defeated Elgin Kuipelal (ATP-1262) 6-1, 6. With relative ease -3 and Jeremy Yan (ATP-527), the German whom he also beat in the final last year: 6-3, 7-6. But in the semifinals, another German, Lukas Gertsch (ATP-383), was too strong for the Hawks: 3-6, 4-6.
Next week, Hawkes will be one of the best players in the professional tournament in Haren, which began on Sunday with the qualifying tournament. The main tournament begins on Wednesday.
Mantel and Verweij win the Veracket Championship
The two-star national classification tournament organized by Veraket preyed on Belthoven’s Tionne Mantell (17) and Iris Verweij (28) among the women. Heerde’s Quinten Kleiboer was seeded first, but lost in the semifinals to Mantel, considered one of the country’s greatest talents. In the other semi-final, Boas Deden (Udihaske) and Jessie Tan (Till) faced each other. Tan won but lost to Mantle in the final: 6-2, 6-2. Both Groningen stars Niels Römeling and Jasper Wesker did not make it further than the quarter-finals.
Amber Malderink failed to win the women’s championship against her fellow ACLO students. The TAM player, who is having a good season and has already won several NRT victories, was the top seed, but bowed in the final to Verweg, a veteran who has played in the United States for years: 6-3, 6-1 .
Safir Packer wins the double
There was northern success in doubles: Sverre Packer from Haren was victorious with Teun Mantle. The duo of Utrecht and Harens defeated another northern duo, Paul van den Tempel and Tom van der Bijl (6-4, 6-3). No women’s doubles were played for women.
