Djere beats Glinka for Villena title, climbs 43 ATP spots
The Serbian beat Estonia's Daniil Glinka 6-4, 6-4 in the final, won 100 ATP points and 23,750 euros, and should be No. 136 in the world on Monday.
The first set of the Villena final could have turned in the game where Daniil Glinka broke back to level at 4-4. Laszlo Djere took the Estonian’s serve again in the very next game to close out the set, then broke once more in the second to reach the trophy. The final ended 6-4, 6-4 after one hour and 32 minutes.
How did the Villena final play out?
The first set had three breaks. Djere made the last of them in the ninth game, after Glinka had pulled level at 4-4, and he finished the set 6-4. The second set was decided by a single break, in the seventh game.
Sport klub reports that Glinka saved a break point in the first game of the second set and then fended off two more in a row, before dropping his next service game. The paper judges that this broke him and cleared Djere’s path to the title.
The two finalists went in almost level in the ATP rankings: Glinka was No. 178, Djere No. 179. The difference was in the prize money and points. The winner receives 23,750 euros and 100 points, the runner-up 14,000 euros and 50 points. The total prize fund of the Villena challenger is 160,680 euros.
The road to the title without dropping a set
Djere did not lose a set all week. According to Sport klub, this is how his run went:
- first round: Dominik Stricker, 6-1, 7-5
- round of 16: Oliver Tarvet, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
- quarterfinal: Hynek Barton, 6-3, 7-5
- semifinal: Pedro Martinez, 6-4, 6-2
The closest match was against Tarvet, since the second set went to a tiebreak. The numbers are simple: in five matches Djere won ten sets, and his opponents took 38 games off him in total. Against Martinez, whom Sport klub describes as a home-crowd favorite and a former world No. 36, Djere played the most convincing match of the tournament.
What does the title mean for his ATP ranking?
Djere arrived in Spain as the world No. 179. Sport klub notes that the former world No. 27, his career high, has struggled to find consistency because of injuries. The outlet does not say what kind of injury.
A challenger title worth 100 points changes that. By Sport klub’s calculation, Djere will be No. 136 in Monday’s new rankings, a jump of 43 places. He still needs 182 points to reach the top 100. Djere is 31 and comes from Senta.
What comes next?
Djere will not rest for long. On Monday, October 12, he is due to play the challenger in Olbia, where his first-round opponent is American Michael Mmoh, Sport klub reports. Olbia is the first tournament where his new ranking will count.
