Roberto Bautista Agut won his 12th tour title at the ATP Tour 250 tournament in Antwerp. The 36-year-old Spaniard defeated Jiri Lehecka 7:5 and 6:1 in a dominating performance.
by Johanna Brauer
last edited: October 20, 2024, 7:38 p.m
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© Getty Images
The Generations final match definitely had its ups and downs. The 60th place in the world rankings, Roberto Bautsita Agut, started his 12th ATP final confidently and with a strong forehand. His opponent Lehecka, 14 years his junior, didn’t have much success at the beginning. The 22-year-old moved poorly and the Czech was unable to win a point until he was 2:5 behind when the rally lasted two shots. Maybe the three-set semi-final was still in the 33rd place in the world rankings, or maybe it was the nervousness that the Czech felt in the third ATP final of his career. The fifth seed Lehecka caught up to 5:5, but Bautista Agut deservedly won the first set 7:5. Even in the second set, the young Czech was unable to present his otherwise high level. The 36-year-old Spaniard showed no signs of fatigue and served his way to his first title since his victory in Kitzbuhel in 2022 in a 5-1 win.
Bautista Agut celebrates his 12th title win
Spanier had to wait 2.5 years for another title. At the ATP Tour 250 tournament in Antwerp, the 36-year-old broke the drought. And very much deserved. Bautista Agut recovered from a broken foot, slipped to 120th in the world rankings, but “always kept a smile on his face,” as the Spaniard said after winning the final. At the Davis Cup final in November, the former top 10 player will play for Spain alongside Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal.
