Keeping up with the Brits: 20 September, 2021
• 4 MINUTE READ
It was a week to remember for the Brits on the ITF Tours with four players bringing home silverware with commanding victories over the weekend. Meanwhile, find out who has risen the highest in the rankings and which ATP event Andy Murray will star in this week.
What happened in British tennis last week?
Liam Broady reached the quarter-finals of the ATP Challenger in Rennes last week. Broady – who has been in fine form this season – defeated Alessandro Bega 6-2, 6-1 in the opening round, before sealing a close three-set battle over seventh seed Gregoire Barrere.
In the final eight, Broady couldn’t find a way past third seed and eventual champion Benjamin Bonzi, losing out 6-4, 6-2.
Andy Murray also featured in Renne, but bowed out in the second round to Roman Safiullin, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.
After featuring in the final in Prague a month ago, Ryan Peniston also reached the quarter-finals of the ATP Challenger in Cary. He beat Alexander Sarkissian and Christopher Eubanks in the first two rounds, but in the end, lost to eighth seed Bjorn Fratangelo 6-3, 7-5.
It has also been a good week for two players supported by the LTA's Pro-Scolarship Programme (PSP). A series of strong performances from Katie Boulter saw her come through qualifying to reach the second round at the WTA Portoroz. She eventually lost out to second seed Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-1.
Meanwhile, Paul Jubb went ten matches unbeaten to win back-to-back titles at the M25 Sintra. Having lifted his first ITF $25k trophy last week in Portugal, the PSP player backed it up with another stunning week, ending with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Alejandro Moro Canas in the final.
It was a first ITF singles title for Alastair Gray, who didn’t drop a set en route to being crowned champion at the M25 Johannesburg this weekend. He beat Jeremy Beale 7-6(4), 6-4 in the final.
Ryan Storrie became the third Brit to win an ITF title last week, after battling his way through a tough draw at the M15 Sozopol to upset top seed Kai Wehnelt 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 in the final.
Cornelia Oosthuizen secured her third title double of the season over the weekend after winning both the women's singles and doubles without dropping a set at the Open Internacional 'Fundación ONCE-Ciudad de Rivas in Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Spain.
Rankings update
In the ATP rankings, Jubb’s back-to-back titles see him climb 45 spots to World No. 417. Meanwhile Broady rises six places to 139 and Jay Clarke is up 11 spots to 191.
On the WTA Tour, Boulter is the biggest riser as she jumps 14 places to World No.157, while Emma Raducanu reaches a new career high at No.22.
Photo of the week
One night at the Met Gala
Posts of the week
All smiles for the champions
Dom Inglot chats all things Emma Raducanu on his latest podcast
Team Konta on point
Jamie Murray shares insights on the doubles world on the ATP and WTA’s Tennis United
What is happening in British tennis this week?
Andy Murray returns to ATP singles action as the lone Brit in the draw for the Moselle Open in Metz. Murray comes in as a wildcard and has been dealt a tricky draw against sixth seed Ugo Humbert. The Brit has won their only other meeting in Antwerp back in 2019.
On the doubles side, Viking Open Nottingham champions Ken Skupski and Matt Reid take on top seeds Henri Kontinen and Ben McLachlan in the first round. Meanwhile Jonny O’Mara teams up with Divij Sharan.
Tara Moore and Emina Bektas team up once again in the WTA Ostrava – they play second seeds Zhang Shuai and Sania Mirza in the first round.
Broady heads to Switzerland for the ATP Challenger in Biel. The fifth seed will be hoping to build on the quarter-final run from last week and will face Andrey Kuznetsov in round one.
Jay Clarke is staying on the clay this week as he heads to the ATP Challenger in Bucharest. A win in the first round against Riccardo Bonadio could see him face second seed Radu Albot.
Ryan Peniston faces a tough challenge up against fifth seed Jason Jung in the forst round of the ATP Challenger Columbus.
Harriet Dart joins Peniston in the WTA Challenger in Columbus – taking on Rebecca Marino in round one before a potential clash with top seed Ann Li.
