Unseeded 15-year-old Luc Fomba saved two match points en route to a phenomenal comeback win over Thomas Unia to capture his first-ever ITF junior title in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

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In an all-French final that lasted over three hours, it was Fomba who held his nerve when it mattered the most, ousting his compatriot 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5) to take the trophy at the Abu Dhabi Country Club.

“He played very well but I served very good during the match. I was very focused, especially in the third set,” said an elated Fomba after the match.

On how he handled the pressure while saving two match points, he added: “I kept telling myself I can win, telling myself ‘come on, don’t give him the match’, and it worked.”

Fomba, who had taken out top-seeded Kareem Allaf in the semi-finals, is a tall, big-serving teenager, with a one-handed backhand – which he picked up from his father and brother – and an affinity to come to the net.

He dropped the first set easily against No5 seed Unia and looked like he was on his way out of the tournament when he got broken early in the second set. But Fomba, ranked 540 in the world junior rankings, fought hard in the fourth game, converting his fourth break point opportunity to level for 2-2.

The break gave Fomba confidence and he soon broke again on a loose forehand from Unia for a 5-3 lead. He fired an ace to take the second set and send the final into a decider.

In game 10 of the final set, Unia got his hands on two match points but Fomba saved both – one thanks to a wide backhand from his opponent and the second with a service winner – to hold for 5-5.

Fomba opened up a 6-3 lead in the tiebreak and took the match on his second match point as Unia sent a volley long.

Unia, ranked 463 in the world and also aged 15, was devastated and the racquet-smashing fit he had as he sat on his bench after the final was a clear reflection of his frustration at squandering those two match points.

On his part, Fomba couldn’t hide his excitement after capturing his first title and is hoping he can continue his good run in next week’s junior ITF in Fujairah.

“I’m so happy. It’s my first time in the UAE, it’s really good here. And now I want to keep it up in Fujairah,” said Fomba, who lives and trains in Paris with the French Tennis Federation.

In the girls’ singles final, Czech teenager Karolina Berankova stormed to her first-ever ITF junior title with a crushing 6-0, 6-0 drubbing of French No6 seed Emmanuelle Girard.

Berankova, 14, ranked 665 places below her opponent in the world junior rankings, and playing just her fourth ITF tournament, won the final in less than an hour.

“I didn’t expect this but I played very well and didn’t make any mistakes,” said the Prague native. “This tournament was very difficult and I played very well but the final was the top.”