Alvaro Guillen Meza endures weather, emerges as champion at Santos Brasil Tennis Cup

Álvaro Guillen Meza of Ecuador emerged victorious at the Santos Brasil Tennis Cup, an ATP Challenger 50 event, overcoming both bad weather and a determined Matheus Pucinelli in a rain-delayed final that had to be moved indoors. The tournament, played in Santos, Brazil, concluded late on Mother's Day Sunday after both semifinals and the championship match were played in a single day due to weather disruptions.

The first semifinal saw Brazil’s Matheus Pucinelli rally from behind in both sets to defeat experienced Argentine Nicolas Kicker, 7-5, 7-5. In the second semi, top-seeded Guillen Meza beat Uruguay’s Franco Rocadelli 6-2, 7-6 (4). Gutillen Meza, ranked No. 216, had lost all three previous matches against Pucinelli, including one just the week before.

Despite injuring his right thigh late in the semifinal, Pucinelli contested the final but struggled with mobility. Meza claimed the first set 6-3. In the second, the Brazilian showed heart and pushed the match into a tense tiebreak, where Meza missed four match points before finally sealing the victory 14-12 on his fifth.

“I’m very happy – even before coming here I was excited about playing this tournament,” said Guillen Meza. “I came last year—the beach, the hotel nearby, the great food—it all motivates me. It was an excellent week.

“I knew I had to do something different today. Matheus had beaten me very easily, even last week. Today I pushed harder, stayed more focused, and I came out as the champion.”

With the win, Meza secured 50 ATP Ranking points and $8,350 in prize money. He is projected to reach a career-high ranking of No. 176.

Pucinelli, who received $4,910 and 25 points said, “It was a good match, even though I couldn’t really play my game in the first set. I even thought about retiring in the first game of the second, but I felt I could push a bit more and almost took it to a third set. It was a good week overall and I’m happy to have reached a final in Brazil.”

Misolic dominates in Prague

Austria’s Filip Misolic captured his third ATP Challenger title and his first of the year at the Advantage Cars Prague Open in the Czech Republic. The 23-year-old from Graz was flawless all week, winning the title without dropping a set and culminating in a dominant 6-4, 6-0 win over Dutch qualifier Guy den Ouden.

Misolic beat an impressive list of opponents en route to the final, including 18-year-old Jan Kumstat, No. 5 seed Nikoloz Basilashvili, wild card entry Mees Rottgering and Slovakia’s Lukas Klein. In the final, he converted five of nine break points and won 61 per cent of the total points played.

“It was incredible. I felt at home here. The fans and the venue were fantastic. Everything was perfect. I improved match by match and I’m really proud of myself,” said Misolic.

About his opponent, he added, “The score might look easy, but it was a tough battle on court. I’m very happy to lift the trophy—and to get revenge for my loss to Guy in Kigali. I knew it would be difficult. He has an amazing forehand. I had to stay in the match and play aggressively—and I did that pretty well.”

Misolic earned 75 ATP Ranking points and €12,980 in prize money.

Maestrelli ends title drought in Francavilla

Italy’s Francesco Maestrelli celebrated an emotional home victory at the Abruzzo Open Francavilla al Mare, an ATP Challenger 75 event on clay. The 22-year-old wildcard won his second career Challenger title, and first in three years, with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Valentin Vacherot of Monaco.

Maestrelli saved two match points in his semifinal before benefitting from the retirement of Dominic Stricker. He needed one hour and 45 minutes in the final to clinch the win.

His first Challenger trophy also came on Italian soil, in Verona in 2022.

Sun lifts first Challenger trophy at Wuxi Open

Fajing Sun made history at home by capturing his first ATP Challenger title at the Wuxi Open in China. The 28-year-old defeated Australian Alex Bolt, 7-6 (4), 6-4 in the final after saving a match point earlier in the tournament against Antoine Escoffier.

Sun showed resilience and consistency from the baseline in a one hour 37-minute final, while Bolt impressed with his serve.

“I’m very happy to win my first Challenger title. This gives me the chance to enter Grand Slam qualifying. It’s a big step for me,” said Sun after the match.

Big Week ahead on the Challenger Tour

While the world's top players are entering the second week of the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome, the ATP Challenger Tour is hosting two premium-level events with 175 ranking points up for grabs for each champion.

In Bordeaux, France, the 16th edition of the BNP Paribas Primrose Challenger is headlined by American Brandon Nakashima, currently No. 29 in the ATP Rankings. He leads a strong field that includes Argentine Sebastian Baez, who anchors the bottom half of the draw.

One of the players to watch is Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, seeded third and returning to the Challenger Tour with an impressive 30-match winning streak at this level. In 2021, Griekspoor captured five consecutive Challenger titles, and in 2022 he triumphed at his home event in Amersfoort. Since then, he has not competed on the Challenger Circuit. Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is the fourth seed in Bordeaux.

🇮🇹 Turin awaits top field

Over in Turin, Italy, the third edition of the Piemonte Open Intesa Sanpaolo promises top-tier competition. Ten players ranked inside the Top 100 are part of the draw. Italian rising star and world No. 34 Flavio Cobolli leads the field. The 21-year-old won his first ATP title in Bucharest just a few weeks ago and is aiming to better his quarterfinal finish at the event last year. Like the other top four seeds—Luciano Darderi, Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Roberto Carballés Baena—Cobolli has a first-round bye and will begin his campaign in the round of 16 on Thursday.

Nine Italian players are in the main draw, including Cobolli, Darderi, defending champion Francesco Passaro, Luca Nardi and veteran Fabio Fognini. For Fognini, this tournament holds special significance, as he won his first Challenger title in Turin back in 2008. With 2025 expected to be his final year on tour, this marks an emotional chapter in his career.

🇵🇹 Tennis excitement in Portugal and a world record to match

In Portugal, tennis history is being made at the Oeiras Open 5. For the first time ever, a single city is hosting five Challenger tournaments in one season—a world record. The event is perfectly timed, taking place just ahead of the qualifying at Roland Garros and offering players one last chance to collect valuable ATP points for potential Wimbledon entry.

Portugal’s Jaime Faria, who won his first Challenger title here a year ago, leads the home contingent. The world No. 108 is the second-highest ranked Portuguese player. Also competing are Henrique Rocha, Gastão Elias, Tiago Pereira and Pedro Araújo.

Elias, a three-time winner in Oeiras and national record holder with 10 Challenger titles and 23 finals, continues to be a fan favorite. The top seed in Oeiras is Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro. He’s joined by his compatriots Thiago Seyboth Wild, Felipe Meligeni Alves and Gustavo Heide.

The field also includes Chile’s Cristian Garín, a former world No. 17 and five-time ATP Tour champion, Wimbledon quarterfinalist Christopher Eubanks from the United States, and Yibing Wu, the first Chinese player ever to win an ATP Tour title.

Elsewhere, more Challenger Tour action is taking place

🇭🇷 In Zagreb, Croatia, Adrian Mannarino is the top seed at the ATP Challenger 75 clay event. Other title contenders include Switzerland’s Jerome Kym, Czech player Dalibor Svrcina and France’s Harold Mayot.

🇨🇴 In Bogotá, Colombia, local favorite Nicolas Mejia leads the field at the KIA Open. Other top names include Chile’s Matias Soto, and Brazilians Karue Sell and Matheus Pucinelli de Almeida.

🇹🇳 In Tunis, Tunisia, Valentin Royer of France enters as the top seed at the KIA Tunis Open. American Emilio Nava is the second seed, with Argentina’s Federico Coria and Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong rounding out the top four.