Otto Virtanen saves three championship points to make Top 100 debut | ATP Tour

Challenger

Virtanen saves three championship factors to make Prime 100 debut

Faria, 21, captures second Challenger title of season

October 28, 2024

When the strain is on, Otto Virtanen stays unshaken.

The 23-year-old saved three championship factors Sunday to win the ATP Challenger Tour 100 occasion in Brest, France and make his Prime 100 debut within the PIF ATP Rankings.

By escaping Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(6), Virtanen ended the Frenchman’s 14-match win streak on the Challenger stage and improved to 6-0 in Challenger finals. The Finn is simply the tenth participant in Challenger historical past — and first since Alexander Bublik in 2019 — to win his first six last appearances.

This was not the primary time Virtanen saved championship factors to elevate a trophy this season. He achieved the identical feat in a two-hour, 41-minute last towards Daniel Masur in March, when Virtanen defended his title on the Lugano Challenger. Virtanen, who has received three Challenger titles this season, is as much as World No. 96.

🙌 OTTO VIRTANEN 🙌

Recent off his title win in Brest, the 23-year-old makes his debut within the Prime 100 #OnTheRise pic.twitter.com/z8MjBHS5Wf

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 28, 2024

Curitiba, Brazil
In different Challenger motion, Portugal’s Jaime Faria lifted his second title of the season on the Copa Internacional de Tenis, Presented by Santander in Brazil. Faria, 21, ousted residence hope Felipe Meligeni Alves 6-4, 6-4 within the last to proceed his quest for a Prime 100 breakthrough. Faria received his first Challenger title in Could in Oeiras and is now at a career-high No. 120 within the PIF ATP Rankings. Faria was additionally a finalist at this month’s Valencia Challenger.

“I believe I discovered from the ultimate two weeks in the past in Valencia, enjoying towards Pedro [Martinez] at residence and now towards Meligeni, additionally at residence with the followers pushing for him. The followers’ power put the power into my recreation and never getting disturbed,” Faria stated. “It’s a particular feeling profitable this title.”

Jaime Faria in motion on the Curitiba Challenger.” model=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2024/10/28/14/09/faria-curitibach-2024.jpg”>
^{Jaime Faria in motion on the Curitiba Challenger. Credit score: João Pires}

Playford, Australia
Australian Rinky Hijikata captured his third Challenger title, which all have come on residence soil. The 23-year-old overcame Yuta Shimizu 6-4, 7-6(4) within the last to triumph on the City of Playford Tennis International. Hijikata beforehand received the Playford Challenger in 2022.

Rinky Hijikata wins the Playford Challenger.” model=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2024/10/28/14/18/hijikata-playfordch-2024.jpg”>
^{Rinky Hijikata wins the Playford Challenger. Credit score: Tennis SA}

Taipei, Chinese language Taipei
Japan’s Taro Daniel accomplished a dominant week on the 2024 Taipei OEC Open, the place he didn’t drop a set all week. The 31-year-old, seeded second, defeated third seed Adam Walton 6-4, 7-5 within the championship match, throughout which Daniel saved 9 of the ten break factors he confronted, in accordance with Infosys ATP Stats.

Regardless of Walton’s last loss, the Australian turned the season chief in Challenger match wins (41) along with his semi-final victory towards countryman Aleksandar Vukic. Camilo Ugo Carabelli is the one different participant with 40 Challenger match wins or extra this season.

Taro Daniel wins the Taipei Challenger.” model=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2024/10/28/13/59/daniel-taipeich-2024.jpg”>
^{Taro Daniel wins the Taipei Challenger. Credit score: 2024 Taipei OEC Open}

Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Borna Gojo superior by means of qualifying en path to profitable the MarketBeat Open in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Croatian, who was sidelined for seven months earlier this yr as a consequence of a again damage, downed American wild card Colton Smith 6-1, 7-5 within the last.

“Lots of issues — folks don’t actually see after you get damage for such a very long time, for being on the prime of your profession after which going again to zero,” stated Gojo, who completed 2023 at a career-best No. 72 and was at World No. 422 coming into Sioux Falls. “Mentally it wasn’t simple and I struggled, however all the time form of stayed constructive and went to all of the medical doctors on this world to discover a resolution. I’m pleased proper now that I’m feeling nicely and enjoying some good tennis.”

Borna Gojo in the course of the Sioux Falls Challenger last.” model=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2024/10/28/14/24/gojo-siouxfallsch-2024.jpg”>
^{Borna Gojo in the course of the Sioux Falls Challenger last. Credit score: Jason Harris/MarketBeat Open}