Kwon Soon-woo wins Adelaide title

Final day in Adelaide.

2023 Adelaide International 2, an ATP 250 tournament, on Hard, in Adelaide, Australia, 9-14 January 2023.

Defending champion:

Wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis who defeated Arthur Rinderknech 6-7(6) 7-6(5) 6-3

Final:

Roberto Bautista Agut (4) (Spain) v lucky loser Kwon Soon-woo (South Korea)

This was the first ATP Tour meeting between the pair.

RBA was broken in the very first game.

He saved a break point in the fifth game to avoid being down a double break.

No other break chances were given to either player for the rest of the set, and Kwon served it out 6-4.

Set two was similar, but for RBA.

Kwon was broken in the second game and saved a break point in the fourth game.

No further break opportunities and RBA served out the set 6-3.

In the decider, RBA broke the Kwon serve in the opening game.

Down 0-40 in the following game, RBA saved all three break points faced, and held for 2-0.

Kwon saved a break point in the third game then broke back for 2-2.

RBA broke in the seventh game, only for Kwon to immediately break back, to love.

Holding serve, again to love, Kwon was a game away from victory.

Serving to stay in the match, RBA withstood the pressure and levelled at 5-5.

Serving at 5-6, a second time to stay in the match, RBA held and forced a tie break.

The first nine points went with serve, but then RBA lost the next two points on his serve, and that finished the match.

Lucky loser Kwon Soon-woo won a fascinating encounter 6-4 3-6 7-6(4).

This was his second career title from as many finals - his first win was the Astana Open in Kazakhstan in September 2021.