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Tallon Griekspoor fed off strong home support to complete a stirring championship-match comeback Sunday at the Libema Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
The sixth seed clawed past Jordan Thompson 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-3 for an emotional victory at the grass-court ATP 250 in the Netherlands. Griekspoor held his nerve in the second-set tie-break before claiming the only break of serve in the decider in the sixth game to wrap a two-hour, 35-minute victory and claim his second ATP Tour title.
“[I want to] thank the crowd for getting me through today,” said Griekspoor. “In finals it’s so tough to play your best tennis. I had so many nerves today, I felt so tight today. I wanted it so badly. He was playing great. I had to try and focus on my own game and try and hang in there.
“Somehow I won the second-set tie-break and got it my way in the third, so [I have] no words for this one.”
Griekspoor is the second consecutive home champion in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, after Tim van Rijthoven lifted the trophy in 2022. He is the eighth Dutch player in the Open Era to win multiple tour-level titles, having also triumphed in Pune in January.
With his run in his homeland, Griekspoor has risen nine spots to No. 29 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, with the Dutchman set to rise to a new career-high when the latest Pepperstone ATP Rankings are published on Monday.
It is the second time Thompson has fallen just short of the title in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, having also reached the final in 2019. Despite his championship-match disappointment, the 29-year-old Australian has risen 27 spots to No. 76 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings after reaching his second tour-level final.
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