Coppini Tennis Academy star Philip Henning wins at Thionville Challenger

24-year-old Philip Henning from Coppini Tennis Academy is making an attempt to qualify for his fifth fundamental draw at Challengers. Final week in Lugano, Philip didn’t qualify for the principle motion. The South African is making an attempt to alter that on the Thionville Open.

Philip confronted Japan’s Kaito Uesugi within the first qualifying spherical and prevailed 6-4, 7-6 in an hour and 39 minutes. The South African collected 14 factors greater than his opponent and took the pivotal factors. Philip confronted 4 break factors and gave serve away 3 times. 

He seized 45% of the return factors and supplied 4 breaks from ten alternatives. Uesugi led 4-0 and 5-2 within the second set and served for it in sport 9. Kaito squandered two set factors and allowed his rival to seal the deal within the tie break. 

South African third seed Philip Henning has secured his place within the males’s remaining on the Curro Centre Courtroom Collection in Stellenbosch (Week 1) after an exciting 7-6(3), 6-4 victory over compatriot and second seed Kris van Wyk within the semifinals.

Henning will now tackle unseeded… pic.twitter.com/irQPIZegbi

— Tennis South Africa (@TennisSA) December 7, 2024

Philip welcomed the rival’s backhand error within the first sport of the duel for a break and an early benefit. The South African secured two tremendous holds and solid a 3-1 lead. Henning stepped in on the return and grabbed a break in sport 5 that despatched him additional in entrance. 

The 24-year-old held at love in sport six and served for the opener at 5-2. Philip sprayed a forehand error and obtained damaged, bringing his rival one break behind. The Japanese held after a deuce in sport 9 and lowered the hole to 5-4. 

Philip Henning, Thionville Open Challenger 2025© Stream screenshot

 

Henning served for the opener for the second time in sport ten. He produced a maintain at love after the rival’s mistake, wrapping up the primary a part of the duel in 34 minutes. Uesugi denied two break factors at the start of the second set. 

He stepped in on the return within the subsequent one and held after Philip’s forehand error for a 2-0 benefit. Not taking part in properly, Henning netted a routine forehand within the fourth sport and located himself two breaks behind.

Philip Henning, Thionville Open Challenger 2025© Stream screenshot

 

The South African pulled one break again in sport 5 and held within the subsequent two service video games for 3-5. Kaito served for the set in sport 9 and denied two break factors. He saved them and generated two set factors. The higher-ranked participant denied them and stored combating. 

Philip seized the fourth break level with a artful forehand crosscourt winner, decreasing the hole to 5-4 and gaining a lift. The South African painted a backhand down the road winner in sport ten for a maintain and 5-5. The set went right into a tie break, and Uesugi felt the strain. 

Philip Henning, Sharm El Sheik 2024© Federico Coppini

 

Henning landed a smash winner on the internet within the third level and welcomed the rival’s forehand error within the subsequent one for 3-1. Philip drew Kaito’s mistake with a return within the fifth level to increase the hole. The South African fired two service winners for 6-1 and 5 match factors. 

He seized the third with a compelled error, making a successful begin and hoping for extra within the second spherical.