Le Havre: Alves Secures Second Title of 2021

For the second time in the opening five weeks of the year, France’s Melissa Alves has claimed victory on the Challenger Tour, after she won the Le Havre PSA Challenger on Sunday, February 7.

The Frenchwoman, who is currently at her highest ever position in the World Rankings of World No.31, came through the entire tournament without dropping game, spending just a total of 85 minutes on court across her four matches.

Alves downed compatriot Marie Stephan in the final, winning 11-0, 11-8, 11-3 in 20 minutes, to win her second title of 2021, and the seventh of her professional career. En route to the final, she had already overcome fellow Frenchwomen Kara Lincou and Taba Taghavi, before downing Czech No.1 Anna Serme in the last four.

There were no shocks over the opening two rounds of the event, with the top four seeds all making it through to the semi-finals, but World No.80 Marie Stephan, the tournament’s No.4 seed, came from two games down to overcome Enora Villard, who sits 32 places higher in the World Rankings.

Results: Le Havre PSA Challenger
Final
[1] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt [4] Marie Stephan (FRA) 3-0: 11-0, 11-8, 11-3 (20m)

Semi-Finals
[1] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt [3] Anna Serme (CZE) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 13-11 (29m)
[4] Marie Stephan (FRA) bt [2] Enora Villard (FRA) 3-2: 9-11, 9-11, 11-1, 12-10, 11-9 (67m)

Quarter-Finals
[1] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt [8] Taba Taghavi (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-6 (19m)
[3] Anna Serme (CZE) bt [7] Lea Barbeau (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 (23m)
[4] Marie Stephan (FRA) bt [6] Elise Romba (FRA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (25m)
[2] Enora Villard (FRA) bt [5] Fanny Segers (FRA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-8, 11-9 (26m)

Round One
[1] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt Kara Lincou (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-1 (17m)
[8] Taba Taghavi (FRA) bt Ana Munos (FRA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (22m)
[7] Lea Barbeau (FRA) bt Mahe Asensi (FRA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 12-10 (23m)
[3] Anna Serme (CZE) bt Yuna Loaec (FRA) 3-0: 11-7. 11-8, 11-7 (25m)
[4] Marie Stephan (FRA) bt Ninon Lemarchand (FRA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 (21m)
[6] Elise Romba (FRA) bt Ella Galova (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 18-16, 12-10 (41m)
[5] Fanny Segers (FRA) bt Oceane Michalot (FRA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-9 (23m)
[2] Enora Villard (FRA) bt Rose Lucas Marcuzzo (FRA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-9 (17m)