Anton Matusevich and Sonay Kartal ran out comfortable winners in the culmination of 10 weeks of UK Pro League tennis.
Kartal thrashes Christie in the final
In the women’s competition it was Sonay who ran away with the final, dominating from start to finish. The first set was an outstanding display of tennis as she broke serve 3 times to take the set 6-0. Even though Freya Christie was able to get a slight foothold in the second set, quickly the power and accuracy of Kartal’s relentless ground strokes stubbed out any chance of an unlikely comeback. Whilst Kartal lost one of her group games earlier in the week, she has looked a class above the rest of the field. Adding to her three-peat earlier in the season, Kartal joins Emma Raducanu in a extremely elite group as female UK Pro League winners.
Here she is, Sonay Kartal is your UK Pro League 2021 Champion! ??
A statement victory from the 20 year-old in the final, winning 6-0, 6-1 vs Christie ?
We can’t wait to see what’s next for Sonay!#UKPLFinals #UKPLChampion pic.twitter.com/NvUQOCScnw
— UK Pro League Tennis (@UKPLeague) November 14, 2021
UK Pro League 2021 winner Sonay Kartal:
“I tried to forget the occasion and just play my own game. have had a lot of injuries in the past so I have really capitalised on the UK Pro League, you are guaranteed 5 matches so the format for me is really beneficial. It’s something that I will continue on next year. I have managed to keep a consistent game all week and I am off to Tunisia next week so I am hoping to take this form out there.”
After the match runner-up Freya Christie said:
“I think credit to Sonay, I think she missed one ball the whole match so well played. I will have to take this one on the chin. It has been a great week for me and I appreciate the crowd and I had a corner there cheering me on. This might be the last tournament of the year for me it might not.”
Anton Matusevich wins the UK Pro League without dropping a set
Anton Matusevich won the men’s Golden Pineapple trophy after a stellar performance topped an almost flawless week at the Shrewsbury Club.
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He was only broken twice in the whole week and his first set performance was truly unstoppable. Henry Patten was able to grow in the second set but in truth there was only ever one winner. Matusevich was magnificent throughout as he stormed to a comprehensive victory and claimed the £15,000 prize money. The British No.11 made it 20 UK Pro League victories in a row as he brushed the challenge of Henry Patten aside. All week Matusevich’s serving has been untouchable and it was the case here as he won 93% of the points where he landed his first serve.The newly crowned UK Pro League champion Anton Matusevich had this to say:
I’m really pleased, firstly I’d like to congratulate Henry, that second set was getting heated. I’m happy to get through it, the 4-4 game I got a bit lucky. You’re guaranteed 5 matches here win or lost but I am very happy to have come out on top.
Me and my coaches have worked a lot on the 3rd shot, I don’t hit too many aces but it’s the shot behind it that’s really important. We have worked on it a lot and it has proved key.
Tennis is a very expensive sport and it’s been awesome. Thank you to the crowd you have been good, very nice on a Sunday.
It was a disappointing end to Henry Patten’s week but he will take plenty of positive things from his time in Shrewsbury. He said after the match:
“I’ve really enjoyed every second of it. I have enjoyed every week I have played in. A massive thank you to everyone who helps put these events on, all the players love them. It’s an amazing opportunity for us and it helps us fund our career.”
“It (The second set) was better than the first set! Anton is pretty good, I knew that going into it and I knew that I had to play at my best to have a chance and I didn’t quite do that.”