Robin Haase has become a familiar face on the final Sunday of tournaments this summer and his run at this week’s $50,000 ATP Challenger Tour event in Alphen was no exception.
The 29 year old finished as runner-up in July at the J. Safara Sarasin Swiss Open and then followed up that result by winning the ATP Challenger Tour event in Scheveningen. This week, he came in as the top seed in Alphen and again played some of his best tennis on home soil, advancing to the final without dropping a set.
Although he lost the championship match to Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, Haase still viewed the week in Alphen as a positive experience.
“Tennis is such a tough sport and there are now more competitors on tour than ever, which makes it tough to do well in Challengers. But for me, this is an opportunity to play in the Netherlands more often and also to help promote Dutch tennis,” said Haase. “Because of the Challengers in Scheveningen and Alphen, top Dutch players get a chance to play in the Netherlands more often and I think that’s a good thing.”
Haase was making his third appearance in Alphen, but this was his best result at the tournament by far. He attributed the improvements to the facilities over the years as part of the reason why he was able to play some of his best tennis this week.
“I really like being here and the tournament keeps getting better
every year. It’s great when you see how the Centre Court has developed over the years with things like the terrace,” he said. “It’s very nice here and the atmosphere is great, which makes this a great tournament to play at.”
Although some players buckle under the pressure of playing at home, Haase has thrived in the Netherlands. In addition to winning in Scheveningen, he also reached the semi-finals last year at the Ricoh Open.
“I’ve got friends and family that like to come and watch me play, so I want to play well for them and show that I’m continuing to make progress,” said Haase. “You spend a lot of time in hotel rooms throughout the years and you’re alone a lot of the time, so it’s nice to be able to see everyone and sleep in your own bed once in a while.”
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