Champion in Metz: Bonzi wins his first ATP title | ATP Tour

Metz

Champion in Metz: Bonzi wins his first ATP title

He is the fourth player to take the crown this year after qualifying.

November 09, 2024

Benjamin Bonzi capped the biggest week of his ATP Tour career with a title. After qualifying, the Frenchman defeated Britain’s Cameron Norrie 7-6(6), 6-4 in the Moselle Open final to become champion on the circuit for the first time.

The player, ranked 124th in the PIF ATP Rankings, had not even won an ATP Tour main draw match in the season leading up to this event. And in Metz he not only scored first, but also continued long and powerfully.

The former world number 42 (he held this ranking in February 2023) lost only one set throughout the entire tournament, in the semifinals to American Alex Michelsen. Otherwise he was in a state of grace from beginning to end. This Saturday, for example, he saved 13 out of 14 break opportunities with his serve.

He also broke twice, which was enough to last him just under two hours of play (1 hour 54 minutes) in his first confrontation with Norrie. This result makes him the twelfth tennis player to win his first ATP Tour title in 2024.

He also became the third person to win the ATP 250 tournament in Metz after qualifying, equaling Jerome Haenel in 2004 and Peter Gojowczyk in 2017. Only three other players have become champions this season as “qualifiers”: Alejandro Tabilo (Auckland), Luciano Darderi (Cordova) and Denis Shapovalov (Belgrade).

Thanks to his dream week, Bonzi climbed 46 places to 78th place in the PIF ATP rankings.

“This year I am returning from very far away. It was a very difficult season,” Bonzi said in a post-match interview. “I didn’t expect a week like this. It’s crazy to end the year like this.”

“Meeting Cameron in the final is very difficult. He has already been to many finals. He’s won before. I did that too, but lost twice. The ending was incredible, I kept telling myself, ‘Go for it, go and take advantage of it, this is your chance,’ he said.

Did you know this…?
Benjamin Bonzi still has a 1-2 record in ATP Tour Finals. He previously reached championship matches in Pune (left to Griekspoor) and Marseille (left to Hurkacs) in 2023.