Salafa delights home crowd, wins boys’ title at Auray Super 12

Arthur Salafa overcame a second-set wobble against Reita Yamanaka to win the Auray Super 12, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

The French youngster benefited from some noisy support, taking the first set before dropping the second.

Yamanaka was unstoppable at the start of the decider, racing to a 4-0 lead on the back of his second-set momentum.

But Salafa clawed it back, levelling at 4-4 much to Yamanaka’s apparent disbelief, and powering on to take the title.

Salafa had already won the doubles with compatriot Tristan Ducros, 4-6, 6-0, 10-7 against Maxim Sokol and Arthur Zhuznomirskyy.

Runner-up Yamanaka – like girls’ champion Elizaveta Anikina – is part of the Champ’seed Foundation, founded by coach Patrick Mouratoglou to identify and develop the very best talent in tennis.

Former boys’ champions at this prestigious under-12s tournament include Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Marton Fucsovics.