Tennis

Marcos Giron's maiden ATP Tour title triumph at the Infosys Hall of Fame Open in Newport was a testament to his resilience and serving prowess. The 30-year-old American fired 13 aces in the thrilling three-set final against compatriot Alex Michelsen, including a match-winning ace on his second championship point.Giron, seeded second, dropped the first set in a tiebreaker but rallied to win the second and third sets 6-3, 7-5. His victory marked the ninth different first-time winner on the ATP Tour this season.Michelsen, a teenager who reached the final last year, fought valiantly but couldn't overcome Giron's powerful serve and forehand. Giron's victory was particularly impressive considering he won three of his four matches this week in deciding sets.The Thousand Oaks, California native is set to break into the Top 40 of the ATP rankings when they are released on Monday. He will represent the United States at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, his second Olympic appearance.Giron's triumph in Newport is a testament to his hard work and dedication. He has been a consistent performer on the ATP Tour for several years, and his maiden title victory is a well-deserved reward.

Reilly Opelka's comeback to competitive tennis was cut short in the semifinals of the Infosys Hall of Fame Open, as he fell to 19-year-old American Alex Michelsen in straight sets.Michelsen, the No. 3 seed, dominated the match from the outset, winning 10 consecutive games to secure a 6-2, 6-0 victory in just 59 minutes. The teenager saved three break points in the opening game and only lost three points on serve for the remainder of the match.Opelka, a former world No. 17, had returned to action as a wild card after a two-year hiatus due to hip and wrist surgeries. He had recorded three three-set wins, including one over defending champion Adrian Mannarino, to become the lowest-ranked semifinalist in the ATP Tour era since 1990.However, Michelsen proved too strong for the veteran American. The 6-0 second set was just the sixth bagel set Opelka had ever been served in his career and only the third in a tour-level main-draw match.Michelsen, currently ranked No. 61, is the youngest player to make back-to-back finals at the same ATP event since Carlos Alcaraz in 2021-22. He will face either No. 2 seed Marcos Giron or No. 4 seed Chris Eubanks in Sunday's final."At the beginning, he was having break points on my serve and I was like, 'This is going to be one of those matches that's going to come down to the wire,'" Michelsen said. "But then I honestly didn't miss a return when I touched the ball. It was probably the best returning day of my life."Opelka, despite the disappointing result, expressed optimism about his future. "I'm still working my way back," he said. "I'm not where I want to be yet, but I'm getting there."