Halle Westfalen (Germany) (AFP)

A "wonderful" week.

Ugo Humbert said the right words when speaking in shy English about his career and his title gleaned Sunday at the tournament on grass in Halle against Andrey Rublev.

Because he has something to celebrate.

At 22, Messin won his third trophy in three finals in Germany, beating Rublev 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in 1h24, after Antwerp (indoors) and Auckland (outdoors) in 2020 .

Above all, he can be satisfied with having pushed out of his way two members of the World Top 10.

The Russian, 7th and winner in Rotterdam this year.

And (especially) Alexander Zverev, 6th and semi-finalist at Roland Garros, in the second round.

Undoubtedly, this victory is the most important of the three for the young left-hander and the symbol of a great evolution.

Because of its course, but also because it is the first in an event in the ATP 500 category, and on grass.

- A jump of 6 places in the ranking -

Unlike his other matches at Halle this week, all won in three sets, Humbert only needed two sets this time around to overcome Rublev.

As against Félix Auger-Aliassime the day before, the Lorrainer showed calm and patience, unlike Rublev who was sometimes annoyed on the court, on the verge of throwing his racket to the ground at the time of the winning of the first set by the French.

Humbert then succeeded in converting his fifth set point in a last tense game where he had also saved two break points.

If the world N ° 7 was in the lead throughout the second round, it was without counting on Humbert's ability to come back each time, like this shutout synonymous with a decisive tie-break. .

Solid on his serve (45/53 points obtained on the first serve) and author of 9 aces, the Messin managed an almost perfect performance and an impeccable last forehand to get the point of the win.

- Eight days before Wimbledon -

“I tried to stay aggressive and take the ball early because in the endline rally it was tough, Andrey was hitting the ball really hard. It was tough physically but I tried to take my chances. and I won, "he told the ATP site.

More than a step taken in his career, this title, the first for him on grass, is also a small brightening in the sky of French tennis, a week after the end of a catastrophic fortnight of Roland-Garros, where no player tricolor had crossed the second round in singles.

Thanks to this victory, Ugo Humbert is sure to climb from 31st to 25th place in the ATP ranking.

"The best is yet to come" he told his trainer Nicolas Copin before lifting his title.

Maybe at Wimbledon in a week?

© 2021 AFP