9th October, 2023

Patrick Brady and Elena Malygina are the UKPL 2023 Champions

After 8 weeks, 480 matches with over 100 players, the sun sets on a 4th year of UK Pro League. The 2023 Finals Week was hosted last week at the National Tennis Centre, culminating in two dramatic Finals and the crowning of the 2023 Champions: Patrick Brady and Elena Malygina.

Malygina becomes the first two-time UKPL Champion

2023 Champion Elena Malygina (left) with runner-up Alice Gillan (right)

Defending Champion Elena Malygina was on track all week to successfully defend her title. She came top of her pool, won her quarter-final against Arina Vasilescu 6-0, 6-4 and dropped her only set of the week in her semi-final against Andre Lukosiute, which she won 6-4, 4-6, 10-7. Alice Gillan may currently be a few hundred places below Malygina in the WTA ranks (Malygina currently WTA 334), but she beat both Eliz Maloney (WTA 541) and Katie Stresnakova (WTA 537) in the quarter-finals and the semi-finals, proving she was playing at a standard capable of taking on those much higher ranked. The main concern one may have had for Gillan starting the final was her energy levels after playing significantly lengthy matches during the week. Her semi-final against Stresnakova the previous day broke the record for the longest UKPL match ever- Gillan claiming the win 7-5, 6(4), 10-8 in exactly 3 hours. And yet, Gillan showed no sign of low energy at the start of the match. The two women were toe-to-toe throughout most of the first set. Malygina just managed to get the upper hand with a break of serve to go 4-3 up, and won the set 6-4. She then started to stretch out her lead, winning the first three games of the second set.

Gillan did start to come back, evening the score in the second set at 4-4. However, when Malygina got a break of serve for 4-5, it left the defending Champion serving for the set. The first championship point arrived at 15-40 in the subsequent game. You would be forgiven for assuming the match was about to wrap up at this point- but you’d be mistaken. Gillan remained staggeringly calm against an understandably increasingly frustrated Malygina over the next 35 minutes, as she repeatedly blocked Malygina from the win.

First, Gillan managed to save two match points to break for 5-5. Undeterred, Malygina broke back for 6-5- another chance for her to snatch the win. But five more match points were saved by Gillan in the next game before she managed another break of serve to trigger a set tiebreak. Gillan initially led the tiebreak 3-0, but it was Malygina’s turn to collect herself and fight back. She evened the score at 4-4 and then pulled ahead. Gillan saved an astonishing eighth championship point before Malygina, finally, after 2 hours 30 minutes, got her win. 6-4, 7-6(5). Elena Malygina and Alice Gillan provided spectators with a Final that will no doubt go down in UKPL history. A valiant effort from Gillan was enough to delay, but not prevent, Malygina from getting her deserved second title. The £7500 runner-up prize should hopefully provide some consolation for the Brit, but it is Elena Malygina who scoops up another golden pineapple. A huge congratulations to her.

 

Patrick Brady becomes the first teenager to take the Men’s title

2023 Champion Patrick Brady (left) with runner-up Giles Hussey (right)

There was no time to recover from the excitement of the women’s final before Patrick Brady and Giles Hussey were on court ready for the Men’s. It was only Brady’s second ever UKPL Week, and yet, his second final. His win on his debut in Week 7 scored him enough points to qualify for the finals, and it was going to be interesting to see how he’d fare against other top UKPL players. He rose to the challenge, defeating former UKPL Week Winners Hamish Stewart and George Houghton to win his pool and soaring through the quarter-finals and semi-finals with straight-set wins. However, Hussey was sure to be his toughest opponent yet– 8 years his senior and sitting nearly 400 places above him in the ATP rankings, Hussey had not dropped a set all week.

Brady seemed unperturbed by these facts, however, swiftly getting the upper hand in the first set by securing an early break for 2-0. He led the way the rest of the first set; a second break of serve from Brady left Hussey trailing 5-1 at one point, and Brady went on to win the set 6-3. Both men were pulling out all the shots, it was a match packed full of incredible points to the delight of the growing crowd. The second set had a similar tale to the first; despite his best efforts, Hussey just wasn’t able to stop Brady from winning the first 4 games. A last-minute break from Hussey came too late, and Brady wrapped it up 6-3, 6-3. A beyond impressive showcase from the youngster, and his name now joins the likes of Liam Broady, Anton Matusevich, and Kyle Edmund on the golden pineapple trophy. An exciting prospect for British tennis – congratulations Patrick!

Andre Lukosiute and Harry Wendelken take 3rd 

Andre Lukosiute

Wildcards Andre Lukosiute and Harry Wendelken won their respective 3-4th playoffs to take bronze, with Katie Stresnakova and Oscar Weightman landing in 4th. See all results from the week here. 

All matches are available to rewatch at www.ukproleague.tv

6th October, 2023

UKPL FINALS WEEK 2023- THE SEMI-FINALISTS

UK Pro League Finals Week no. 4 has been packed full of fantastic tennis. The stakes are high and players are giving it everything until the very last point. Now 5 days in, it’s time for the semi-finals. Let’s take a look at the 8 players left in the running for the golden pineapple.

ELENA MALYGINA and ANDRE LUKOSIUTE

Elena Malygina

In the women’s competition, all eyes are on 2022 Champion Elena Malygina, back to defend her title. She has dealt with the pressure well, and is still in the running to become the first 2-time UKPL Champion. Her Finals Week has so far mirrored her dream run at the 2022 Finals Week; she’s yet to drop a set and has only lost 9 games across 3 matches. Whilst she’s certainly on a roll this week, she’s not the only one- her semi-final opponent Andre Lukosiute has also not dropped a set all week.

Andre Lukosiute

Could Lukosiute, who has already defeated another semi-finalist, Stresnakova, in the pool stages, triumph over Malygina to reach her first Final? The two women play today at 11am on Court 1- tune in at www.ukproleague.tv to find out!

ALICE GILLAN and KATARINA STRESNAKOVA

Alice Gillan

The other Women’s semi-final takes place on Court 2 not before 2pm. Alice Gillan faces Katie Stresnakova. Gillan came second in her pool behind Malygina, who she lost to in straight sets, but her impressive win in her quarter-final match against Eliz Maloney, some 350 places her senior in WTA ranks, demonstrated she’s back on track to fight for the golden pineapple (6-4, 3-6, 10-3). Katie Stresnakova is not an easy opponent, however. Similar to Gillan, she also took a loss in the pool stages to a fellow semi-finalist – losing  6-3, 7-6(0) to Lukosiute. However, she still progressed through to the quarter-finals, where she beat Danielle Daley in a dominant 6-1, 6-3.

Katarina Stresnakova

GILES HUSSEY and HARRY WENDELKEN

Harry Wendelken

Over in the Men’s competition, Giles Hussey vs Harry Wendelken will not be a match you want to miss (Court 1, nb12:30). Giles Hussey is having a stellar week- also yet to drop a set and Wendelken too remains unbeaten, fighting through a three-set-thriller quarter-final match against Hamish Stewart yesterday, winning 7-6(5), 5-7, 10-7. Both Hussey and Wendelken enjoyed success on the ITF tour last month- Hussey picked up an M15 win in Budapest and Wendelken won the M25 Sintra and the doubles title at the M25 in Idanha-a-Nova. It’s going to be a good match!

Giles Hussey

PATRICK BRADY and OSCAR WEIGHTMAN

Patrick Brady

18-year-old Patrick Brady and 21-year-old Oscar Weightman play in the other men’s semi-final straight after. It is only Brady’s second-ever UKPL Week after winning the UKPL’s first-ever grass competition in June, and his success has continued on the indoor court; he is yet to lose a game this week. After topping his pool, he soared through the quarters with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat over Ivan Denisov. Weightman lost in the pool stages to Giles Hussey but won a tough match against Josh Goodger in the quarters- which treated us to another thrilling tiebreak set (5-7, 6-4, 10-7).

Oscar Weightman

 

Watch all matches live and on-demand at www.ukproleague.tv