By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Sunday, August 25, 2024
Alex Michelsen avoided default in Winston-Salem while several players won titles the weekend before the US Open.Photo Credit: Grant Halverson/Getty Images
The final weekend before the 2024 US Open saw several players claim titles in lead-up events before the last major of the year. Yet the biggest news, perhaps, involved yet another controversial player moment in as many weeks that almost resulted in a default.
Sonego wins Winston-Salem after Michelsen avoids default
Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego won the Winston-Salem ATP 250 title on Saturday in convincing fashion 6-0, 6-3 against American Alex Michelsen. Yet Michelsen could have been defaulted early in the first set.
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Trailing 0-4 in the first set, the 20-year-old Michelsen after losing a point, in frustration, sent a ball into the stands that ended up hitting a fan. Umpire Aurelie Tourte went over to check on the fan who appeared to be ok. Tourte then approached Michelsen at the net and issued him a code violation for ball abuse.
Michelsen, upset by his action, said “I’m so sorry” in the fan’s direction. The match continued and Michelsen did not end up getting defaulted although he is expected to be fined by the ATP later.
Ironically, Tourte was the same umpire who was involved in the 2020 US Open match when Novak Djokovic was defaulted for inadvertently hitting a linesperson with a ball in his match with Pablo Carreno Busta.
Keeler upsets top seed Haddad Maia to win Cleveland
World No. 98 McCartney Kessler capped off a stellar week by winning her maiden WTA title in Cleveland over top seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.
The 25-year-old American wildcard won the Tennis in the Land WTA 250 title 1-6, 6-1, 7-5. Kessler lost seven out of the first eight game before completing the comeback win. Before Cleveland, Kessler had only won one WTA tour match all year back at the Australian Open in January.
Kesler after breaking into the top 100 rankings two weeks ago earned a wildcard into next week’s US Open.
Noskova fends off Sun to win Monterrey
Czech teenager Linda Noskova battled through New Zealand’s Lulu Sun to win her first ever WTA title in Monterrey, Mexico. Noskova defeated Sun 7-6(5), 6-4 to win the Abierto GNP WTA 250 event.
This was the 19-year-old Noskova’s third career final. Noskova and Sun played each other in Cincinnati a few week ago with Sun winning that encounter 6-4, 7-6(4).
"I've been waiting for a title or for a trophy for some time now, so it just feels amazing to win such a big tournament here this week," Noskova said, after her victory to WTA.com.
Photo Credit: Getty