Patrick Kypson rallied to defeat unseeded Johannus Monday of Great Britain 6-7(2), 7-6(4), 7-5, on Sunday, making it 20 challenger titles for American men in 2025, which is the most in history, breaking the record set in 2006, according to statistical guri Greg Sharko.
The 2-hour, 34-minute championship featured only one break as Monday double-faulted for the only time in the match in the 11th game of the third set. That was also the only break point the 23-year-old left-hander faced in the match.
Kypson earned $22,730 for his title run.
“That was the key and whoever was going to break serve was probably going to come out on top and I was fortunate to hold tough when I was facing break points,” said Kypson, who saved all six break points he faced in the match. “I was fortunate enough to snag the only break point I had late in the match.”
Kypson, a former All-American standout at Texas A&M, was ranked as low No. 455 on April 7
after a three-month hiatus due to a stress fracture in his left foot. The 25-year-old North Carolina native underwent surgery in January and returned to the tour in April.
Kypson’s ranking will improve from No. 166 to No. 146. Since his return, Kypson has won titles on clay, outdoor hard and indoor hard this season. He is just the third American to accomplish the feat since 1978, joining Robby Ginepri (2002) and Michael Russell (2009).
Kypson also moved to No. 2 in the Australian Open Wild Card Challenge standings.. The current leader leader is former Texas standout Eliot Spizzirri, who was runner-up in the Brest, FRA Challenger on Sunday.
