Lucky Loser Cecchinato Bests Millman in All 1st-Time Final at ATP Budapest

Italian Marco Cecchinato, a lucky loser who lost in the final round of qualifying but then made the main draw when another player pulled out, won the Gazprom Hungarian Open on Sunday, in the final defeating Australian John Millman 7-5, 6-4 for his first ATP title.
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The week was also the first tour-level semifinal he reached.

“I lost Sunday [in qualifying] and now I won the tournament. It’s amazing for me,” Cecchinato said. “Maybe it’s a dream, I don’t know.”

The 25-year-old entering Hungary had won only five ATP-level matches during his career. He beat three seeded players during the week, and is projected to climb into the Top 60 for the first time in his career.

Millman advanced to his first final earlier on Sunday when he completed his semifinal that was suspended on Saturday due to darkness, beating last year’s tournament runner-up Aljaz Bedene 2-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(5).

The 28-year-old Aussie entered the event ranked No. 94, and had a 5-5 win-loss record this year coming into Hungary.