Cho Se-hyuk wins another trophy just a week after Wimbledon

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Cho Se-hyuk wins another trophy just a week after Wimbledon

Published: 19 Jul. 2022, 15:16

Cho Se-hyuk poses for a picture with the boy's singles trophy at the La Balle Mimosa Loire-Atlantique held in La Baule-Escoublac in France on Monday. [YONHAP]

Rising Korean tennis star Cho Se-hyuk is going to need a bigger trophy cabinet soon, with the 14-year-old wunderkind picking up the boy's singles trophy at the La Balle Mimosa Loire-Atlantique in La Baule-Escoublac, France on Sunday, just a week after he won Wimbledon on July 10.

The La Balle Mimosa Loire-Atlantique is part of the Tennis Europe Junior Tour, with only players under 14 competing in the singles and doubles events for both genders.

Cho beat Ryo Tabata of Japan, 7-6, 6-3, in the boy's singles finals on Sunday. Cho won the first set after a tiebreaker, then took the second set 6-3 to win the trophy.

En route to the finals, Cho beat Victory Ryden of Sweden in two straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, on Saturday. Coming into the tournament, Cho was the No. 3 seed in the boy's singles and the No. 4 seed in the doubles.

"I was able to play with confidence on the clay court, keeping my eye on the ball until the very end," said Cho after the match.

"I want to do everything I can in my next tournament to reach new heights."

Cho not only won the boy's singles but also reached the boy's doubles semifinals, pairing up with Kunanan Pantaratorn of Thailand to beat French pair Charles De Saint Laumer and Marc Aurele Desmoulins Ricot in the quarterfinals.

Kazakhstani Pair Damir Zhalgasbay and Daniel Tazabekov beat Cho and Pantaratorn to reach the finals and win the doubles trophy.

Fourteen-year-old Cho's win on Sunday comes just a week after he became Korea's first ever Wimbledon champion, beating American Carel Aubriel Ngounoue in the final of the boys competition in two straight set during the inaugural 14&Under tournament at Wimbledon on July 10 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.

The 14&Under Championships was a new event that is part of the official Wimbledon competition. The age limit for the boy's championship at Wimbledon was 18 and under until last year. From this year, the inaugural 14&Under Championships allowed boys aged 14 and under to compete in a separate event.

Cho is currently the top-ranked junior player in the Asian Tennis Federation, with an International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior world ranking of No. 1079. The Junior world rankings cover all players under the age of 18.

Korea's Lee Ha-eum and Leticia Marangoni of Brazil also reached the girl's doubles semifinals of the La Balle Mimosa Loire-Atlantique, beating Inka Wawrzkiewicz and Barbara Kostecka in the quarterfinals in straight sets.

Kazakhstan pair Ariana Gogulina and Satime Toregen beat Lee and Marangoni to reach the finals and then went further, winning the doubles trophy.

Cho is now in Blois, France competing at Tournoi Loire Vallee, the next event on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour. Cho beat Ren Matsumura of Japan in the first round in two straight sets, 6-1, 6-2.

As of press time, Cho will next face Joachim Walker-Viry of France on Tuesday in the second round.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]