Alexandre Müller on Sunday won his first title on the main international tennis circuit when he came from a set down to beat Kei Nishikori in the final at the Hong Kong Open.
The 27-year-old Frenchman prevailed 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 to earn himself 100,00 euros in prize money and a spot on an exclusive list in ATP Tour history.
He became only the third man since tennis was opened up to professional players in 1968 to win a title having lost the opening set in every match he played.
“Thank you everyone for the support," Müller told spectators at the Victoria Park Tennis Stadium. "It’s been an amazing week for me, losing the first set in all the matches."
Müller, ranked 67th on the ATP lists, started the final poorly. Nishikori, a former world number four, reeled off four consecutive games from 2-2 to take the opener.
But the 35-year-old from Japan, who has struggled with injuries over the past three years, was equally overwhelmed in the second set.
In the decider, Müller claimed Nishikori's service to lead 4-3 and took the next two games to complete the triumph in one hour and 43 minutes.
“In all the matches I tried to be calm between points and keep my energy, because it was a tough week for me,” said Müller who overturned deficits against Marc-Andrea Huesler, Miomir Kecmanovic, fellow Frenchman Arthur Fils in the quarter-finals and Jaume Munar in the semis.
“I want to thank Kei, because he is an amazing player," Müller added. "I’m so happy for him that he can play without injuries, so good luck to him for the rest of the season.”
As a result of the victory, Muller will move from 67 to 56 when the new ATP rankings are released on Monday. Nishikori will rise 32 spots to number 74, the first time he has been inside the Top 100 since June 2022.
