Canadian Frank Dancevic went the distance in the inaugural $50,000 Drummondville National Bank Challenger singles final on Sunday, but ultimately came up short after a long battle, falling 6-7(11), 7-6(3), 7-5 to Aussie John-Patrick Smith.
Seeded seventh in the draw, Dancevic was trying to win a fourth title on Quebec soil after being crowned champion of the Granby National Bank Challenger on three different occasions. Smith took home the trophy after two hours and 30 minutes of play. He was dominant on serve, hitting 23 aces and winning 85 percent of his first serve points in the match.
Ranked no. 195 in the world, Smith picks up his first title since the summer of 2013 when he won the Winnipeg Futures event. For his part, Dancevic was a finalist in both singles and doubles this week at the René-Verrier indoor tennis club.
