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Gabriel Diallo’s first piece of {hardware} on the ATP Tour is a runner-up trophy after he misplaced in his first tour-level ultimate on Sunday to world No. 26 Karen Khachanov on the Almaty Open.
Gradual begins in every set compelled the Canadian to play from behind for a lot of the day. He fought laborious, even managing to power a decider regardless of trailing by a set and 4-2 within the second, however he by no means managed to realize a bonus in a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 loss.
Not solely was it the first final of Diallo’s career, it was the primary time the previous NCAA participant received greater than two important draw matches in a row at a tour-level occasion. He got here into Almaty with out a main-draw win at an ATP Tour occasion in 2024 (not together with his third-round appearance at the US Open).
Whereas the 23-year-old from Montreal put a strong 70 per cent of his first serves in play, Khachanov feasted on the Canadian’s second serve, profitable 66 per cent of these factors. Diallo was beneath fixed strain on his serve, dealing with 19 break factors within the match. Whereas he saved 13, he was damaged six instances.
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It was a nervy begin for Diallo in his first ultimate, as he opened the match with three consecutive forehand unforced errors to go down love-40. Whereas he saved the primary three break factors, Khachanov blasted his technique to a fourth and one other forehand miss from the Canadian price him the early break.
Khachanov, the third seed in Almaty, by no means gave the Canadian an opportunity to get well from the sluggish begin. He misplaced simply three factors on serve within the first set, including one other break within the fifth recreation and completed off the opener with a maintain to like.
All indicators pointed to Khachanov working away with the ultimate when Diallo despatched a backhand lengthy after which missed a smash to drop serve within the third recreation of the second set. The No. 3 seed then had 5 break factors at 4-2 to make it a double break. However the Canadian rose to the problem, discovering one other gear to energy his means out of the jam with three winners and two unreturnable serves.
Learn additionally: Diallo Tops Tabillo to Reach First ATP Semifinal in Almaty
That escape shifted the momentum to Diallo, who acquired a have a look at a break level on Khachanov’s serve for the primary time within the following recreation. After a backhand passing shot winner gave the Canadian a 15-40 opening, a stabbing backhand volley on the primary break level levelled the set at 4-4.
The door opened once more when the third seed was serving to ship the set to a tiebreak at 5-6. Khachanov fell behind 15-40 however managed to save lots of the primary two set factors. Diallo created a 3rd and drove a backhand return deep which Khachanov couldn’t deal with, pulling his forehand large to ship the match to a decider.
Regardless of having received 5 of the final six video games to take the second set, Diallo was unable to hold the momentum into the decider. Just like the earlier units, he was beneath strain early on serve and was as soon as once more damaged within the third recreation to fall behind an early break.
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Khachanov was enjoying his means into each recreation on Diallo’s serve within the decider. He had an opportunity to make it a double break within the fifth recreation earlier than the Canadian netted a forehand within the seventh to set the third seed as much as serve out the match at 5-2.
Down a double break, Diallo made one final push to remain alive, breaking the six-time ATP titlist as he served for the match. Nevertheless, the struggles to carry serve continued and Diallo was damaged as soon as once more within the following recreation, this time to give up the match.
Simply by reaching the ultimate, Diallo was already assured of getting into the High 100 within the ATP rankings on Monday. He’s projected to leap simply contained in the High 90 on Monday.
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