He knelt down, before stretching out full length on the grass, overcome with emotion.
A few seconds before his celebration, Ugo Humbert distils a last winning forehand missile to clinch the best title of his young career against world number 7 Andrey Rublev (6-3, 7-6 [5]), almost invincible in this tournament category (ATP 500).
And, in view of his week, the final of Messin will have almost been… A formality. After struggling to get out, each time in three sets, his opponents, he triumphed against the Russian by saving the two small break points he faced. Better, his service, essential weapon to perform on grass, responded present (9 aces, 73% of first balls). “I'm one of the best on turf. I can do something big there, “warned Humbert before the match. Difficult to prove him wrong in view of his performance of the day.
The large left-hander (1.88 m) wins his third career tournament, after Antwerp and Auckland ... In three finals contested.
His journey across the Rhine will reassure him after a difficult season on earth (1 victory in 7 games) and give him hopes for Wimbledon, which begins in a week: before Rublev, Humbert had notably released another top 10 (Zverev) and the Canadian Auger-Aliassime, striker earlier in the week of Roger Federer.
🤩🇫🇷 Magnificent Ugo Humbert!
The Frenchman tames Andrey Rublev in the final to win the Halle tournament, his first ATP 500 title!
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Eighth finalist in 2019 at Wimbledon (the tournament was not played last year), Humbert will leave, as at Roland Garros, with a seeded status during this third Grand Slam lifting. What to prevent him from falling on the headliners for at least two rounds. Before an exploit?