Zagreb Open CHallenger Roundup
Last week was the Zagreb Open Challenger which is a breading ground for some of the best rising talent on the mens tour. Players this year included Ilija Bozoljac, the new stars of the Croatian David Cup National team Antonio Veic and Ivan Dodik, Roko Karanusic, Argentinian player Brian Dabul, Australian Peter Luczak, Spanish guy Riba-Madrid and many others.
Lowest ranked player at the tournament was a Spanish player Daniel Munoz-De La Nava, who is currently ranked 156 while the highest was ranked player was Frenchman Nicolas Devidler at 64 in the world rankings.
Croatian tennis players did not perform well in Zagreb. Ivan Dodik lost 6-2, 6-2 in the second round to Ilija Bozoljac, while Antonio Veic after courageous and equal fight against Brian Dabul, also in second round, had to surrender his match after serious hand injury during the result 7-5, 6-7 (4), 2-2 loss. Only Roko Karanusic managed to work up to the quarter-finals where he was stopped by Olivier Rochus with the result 6-3, 7-6 (8).
In the semifinals, the players showed really amazing game. Olivier Rochus from Belgium won his match against Ricardo Hocevar from Brasil (6-1, 6-2). While in second semifinal match, Nicolas Devilder was defeated by Marcos Daniel (5-7,6-4,6-2).
In the final Daniel defeated Rochus with 6-3, 6-4. After a really exciting 13th Zagreb Open, organizers are hoping that next year, the tournament will be even stronger and larger and that better ranked players will come to our challenger.
