Flawless Toby Samuel secures biggest ATP Challenger title success to date as Team Bath Tennis ace wins in Winnipeg
Team Bath Tennis professional Toby Samuel made a stunning start to his hard court season as he secured his biggest title win to date at the Winnipeg National Bank Challenger in Canada.
Samuel didn’t drop a set all week as he claimed his first success at ATP Challenger 75 level, moving him to a new career high of 112 in the world.
In his first competition since Wimbledon, Samuel – coached by Ian MacDonald and Tiarnan Brady – dropped just three games in his opening two matches as he brushed aside Canada’s Mikael Arseneault 6-2 6-0 and Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki 6-0 6-1.
The number 2 seed then overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Yu-hsiou 6-3 7-6(5) before defeating fellow Brit Charles Broom 7-6(4) 6-2 in the semi-finals.
That set up a title decider against home favourite Liam Draxl, who claimed an early break of serve before Samuel showed his quality by recording a 6-4 6-2 victory.
It was a fifth career ATP Challenger title for Samuel, who continues his build-up to the US Open by contesting the Vancouver Open this week. He faces Britain’s Jack Pinnington Jones in the first round on Tuesday.
Visit teambath.com/tennis to find out more about the all-encompassing tennis programme at the University of Bath.
Picture: Toby Samuel with coach Tiarnan Brady – instagram.com/teambathtennis.
