ATP Challenger Tour Finals Spotlight: Aljaz Bedene
Slovenian rising star, Aljaz Bedene, qualified for the ATP Challenger Tour Finals, a year-ending tournament held between elite eight players in Sao Paulo, after enjoying a successful season. He captured four Challenger crowns and climbed to his career best rank at 79 this circuit.
Bedene displayed spectacular skills and abilities this season which led him grab several titles and reach far in many Challenger events. He started this season standing at number 165 in the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour Rankings but after unleashing his true form, he climbed to number 79.
The Slovene was quoted in an interview to ATPWorldTour.com:
“One of my goals at the beginning of the year was to play the ATP Challenger Tour Finals. With good results all over the year, I managed to do it and I am really happy with it. Of course, I am not going there only to play it, I will try to win it.”
Currently ranked 98th in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Bedene’s success this year came after enjoying an almost injury free spell. Last year several injuries caused him to pull out from tournament in early stages and fall in the ATP Rankings. However, Bedene improved his fitness this year and subsequently enjoyed his career best season which saw him cracking into the Top 100.
The in-form Slovene stated further:
“My first goal for the season was to come in the Top 100. Since I had many injuries in the last years I am really happy that this season was almost injury free. I knew if I stay healthy, results like these would come sooner or later.”
The 23-year-old was edged out from the qualifying competition at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, PBZ Zagreb Indoors and the Australian Open. However, he moved up a gear in February and not only helped his nation defeat Denmark in the Davis Cup but also captured his maiden year-to-date title at the Casablanca Challenger (downed the French qualifier, Nicolas Devilder).
He maintained consistency in his game after that and managed to lift the crowns at the Barletta Challenger (trounced Potito Starace), Kosice Challenger (defeated Simon Greul) and the Wuhan Challenger (dumped Josselin Ouanna).
Three of his titles came on the clay courts but Bedene is confident of outclassing his opponents on hard courts of the Ginasio do Ibirapuera.
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