After claiming their first ATP Challenger Tour title in 2022, Finland’s Otto Virtanen and Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan returned to the winner’s circle this week and are both at career-high marks in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.
Virtanen, 21, claimed the Lugano Challenger while Marozsan won on the clay courts of Antalya, Turkey.
In Switzerland, Virtanen beat Turkish qualifier Cem Ilkel 6-4, 7-6(5) in the final to collect the Challenger BancaStato Citta Di Lugano and move up to No. 139 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.
A two-time Challenger titlist, Virtanen captured his first Challenger title this past October when he advanced through qualifying to win the Bergamo Challenger.
The 23-year-old Marozsan dropped just one set all week to win the Megasaray Hotels Open. In the championship match, the second seed defeated Sebastian Ofner 7-5, 6-0.
After Marozsan’s first title in Banja Luka in August, the Budapest native has enjoyed more success on the Challenger Tour. The Hungarian No. 2 (behind Marton Fucsovics) was a finalist at the 2022 Bratislava Challenger and reached the final four in Alicante. Following his victory in Antalya, Marozsan rose to 134 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.
At the Puerto Magico Open in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Benoit Paire captured his seventh Challenger title and first since November 2015. Four of the Frenchman’s five matches went the distance, including the first round, where he fought off a match point to survive to Nicolas Mejia.
Benoit Paire is crowned champion of the 2023 Puerto Vallarta Challenger. Credit: Barbara Ramos Villalobos
In the final, Paire rallied from a set down to defeat Japan’s Yuta Shimizu 3-6, 6-0, 6-2.
“It’s been a really good week for me,” Paire said. “Mentally I was ready, I fought until the end. The first one was not easy, I was match point down. I’m really happy this week.”
At the Challenger Santiago – Copa Kia in Chile, Bolivian Hugo Dellien ousted Brazilian qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to claim his ninth Challenger title and third in the Chilean capital (2019, 2022).
Hugo Dellien collects the Santiago Challenger title. Credit: Challenger Santiago – Copa Kia
In Dellien’s quarter-final match, the 29-year-old escaped a three-hour, 36-minute marathon against seventh seed Franco Agamenone 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 7-6(5).
“I was happy with the way I played all week,” Dellien said. “I know this final will be difficult. I felt comfortable and very physically fit.
“For me, it was a pleasure to go to Chile and feel the love of the people. This is a very special tournament. I have always done well and I hope that every time I come back it will be like this.”
from Tennis – ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/ryVqO82