Number of our LOVE 4 TENNIS Academy members played in Trnava at ITF EMPIRE Futures Trnava 2016. Samuel Hodor, Jakub Behun and Isa Mammetgulyyev were in the qualifying, Danylo Kalenichenko reached semi-final and won the doubles!

Despite Hodor and Mammetgulyyev were both eliminated in the final qualifying round, both entered the main draw as lucky loosers. Hodor lost against Czech Dominik Suc (4-6, 3-6) and Isa played difficult match against his colleague from the academy Danylo Kalenichenko. Isa was winning 3-0 in the first set, but Danylo did not allow any suprises and won in two sets 6-4, 6-0. “Today I have not played well, I was not used to the balls. They were heavier, I had to be closer to them and think more about my next steps in the game. I relaxed in second set and it was better from my side. I made a comeback in the first set because I started to be braver, more self-confident. I was more concentrated and did not risk as much. I made less unforced errors and this was exactly what I needed,” said Kalenichenko after the match.
Danylo and Isa are both coached by Jan Stancik in LOVE 4 TENNIS Academy. “It is always dififcult to play against someone from the same academy. I was happy on one side, but sad, because one of us had to go home. I am sometimes more nervous before such matches, although matches itself are not as tense for me.”
Kalenichenko is currently No. 685 in ATP rankings, but he still awaits his first Futures title. He made it to the semi-final in Trnava, beating Isa, Czech Jakub Filipsky and Polish Andrej Kapas before losing to winner of the tournament Corentin Denolly from France. Danylo will receive six points into the ATP rankings.

Danylo trains in LOVE 4 TENNIS Academy in Bratislava for 5 years. “I really consider it to be a very successful co-operation for both sides. We have great facilities here, lot of sparring. My arrival to the academy was bit of a coincidence. I have chosen it before of good references. I liked it so I stayed here. I got married in Slovakia, but I have Ukrainian passport,” he added.

Kalenichenko’s doubles title

After two singles semi-finals, doubles final was scheduled. Number two seeds, Danylo Kalenichenko and Filipp Kekercheni, both from Ukraine, beat Karol Beck with Artem Dubrivnyy in two sets 6-0, 6-1. Kalenichenko and Kekercheni played together only second time in their careers. “We spoke quite often about possibility to play doubles together, but I always had a different partner. I did not have one this tournament so we agreed to play together. We are in touch very often these days anyway, “ said Danylo about co-operation with Kekercheni.

For Kalenichenko, it was ninth ITF doubles title. Karol Beck spoke with Kalenichenko during the final ceremony and told him he did not have a single bad shot today. “It is possible, I did not do any easy mistakes today. Maybe I did make some bad returns, but I played well today, I felt great on the court,” concluded Kalenichenko from LOVE 4 Tennis Academy.

Trnava, EMPIRE Futures Trnava, F1 Futures, 10 000 USD, Clay, Outdoor:
Isa MAMMETGULYYEV (TKM) [1]
1QR: BYE
2QR: Nikolas LAHKY (SVK) 6-0 6-4
3QR: Tomas PAVLOVSKY (SVK) 3-6 6-2 5-7
Main draw: Isa MAMMETGULYYEV (TKM) [LL]
1R: Danylo KALENICHENKO (UKR) [7] 4-6 0-6

Danylo KALENICHENKO (UKR) [7]
1R: Isa MAMMETGULYYEV (TKM) [LL] 6-4 6-0
2R: Jakub FILIPSKY (CZE) [Q] 6-7(4) 6-3 7-5
QF: Andriej KAPAS (POL) [3] 6-3 ret.
SF: Corentin DENOLLY (FRA) [8] 0-6 2-6
Doubles partnering: Filipp KEKERCHENI (UKR) [2]
1R: Levente GODRY (HUN) / Tommaso LAGO (ITA) 6-3 6-1
QF: Tomas MUSIL (CZE) / Frantisek POLANKA (CZE) 3-6 6-2 [10-7]
SF: Corentin DENOLLY (FRA) [4] / Samuel BENSOUSSAN (FRA) [4] 7-6(5) 6-4
F: Karol BECK (SVK) / Artem DUBRIVNYY (RUS) 6-0 6-1

Samuel HODOR (SVK) [14]
1QR: David MRAZEK (CZE) 7-5 6-2
2QR: Michal SELECKY (SVK) 6-3 6-4
3QR: Levente GODRY (HUN) [2] 2-6 5-7
Main draw: Samuel HODOR (SVK) [LL]
1R: Dominik SUC (CZE) 4-6 3-6
Doubles partnering: Patrik NEMA (SVK)
1R: Andriej KAPAS (POL) [1] / Cristobal SAAVEDRA – CORVALAN (CHI) [1] 4-6 4-6