A LOOK BACK
Charlottesville Men’s Pro Challenger (Charlottesville, U.S.A.): Noah Rubin completed arguably the comeback of the year on the ATP Challenger Tour, saving two match points to defeat fellow American teen Tommy Paul 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-3 for his first title in Charlottesville. The 19-year-old rallied from a 3-6, 1-5 deficit, breaking back twice in the second set and surviving a late charge by 18-year-old Paul in the decider. Rubin was in survival mode all week, having won eight matches in nine days after emerging from qualifying – the fourth qualifier to win a title this year. It was the second all-teenage Challenger final of the year after Taylor Fritz (17) edged Jared Donaldson (19) in Sacramento.

Watch Rubin Interview (courtesy Jacob Stuckey)

Rubin’s win marks the 13th time a teen has triumphed in 2015 and the seventh occasion in which a player outside the Top 300 in the Emirates ATP Rankings has prevailed. The fifth player to save at least one match point in a final this year, he is set to soar from World No. 537 to No. 317. Paul, who was one of 10 teens to feature in the US Open main draw in September, jumped 53 spots to No. 263.

Canberra Tennis International (Canberra, Australia): Benjamin Mitchell claimed his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title on home soil Sunday in Canberra, rallying past countryman and fifth seed Luke Saville 5-7, 6-0, 6-1. Mitchell needed four match points to earn the win after one hour and 51 minutes. The 22 year old, who was appearing in his first Challenger final, is one of six different Aussies to lift trophies this year, joining a strong contingent that includes Thanasi Kokkinakis, Sam Groth, John Millman, Matthew Ebden and John-Patrick Smith. The Gold Coast native is also poised to vault up the Emirates ATP Rankings, from World No. 305 to No. 247.

Watch Mitchell Interview (courtesy Tennis Australia)

Bauer Watertechonology Cup (Eckental, Germany): The ageless Mikhail Youzhny made ATP Challenger Tour history on Sunday in becoming the first player to win titles at least 15 years apart. The 33-year-old Russian claimed his first crown in Samarkand in 2000 and waited 15 years and five months to capture his second on the indoor carpet courts of Eckental, downing 34-year-old and 2013 champ Benjamin Becker 7-5, 6-3. It was the oldest final on the Challenger circuit this year. Entering the week, the longest gap between titles belonged to Michael Chang at 14 years, five months.

Milo Open 2015 (Bogota, Colombia): Eduardo Struvay joined Rubin and Mitchell as first-time champions on Sunday, stunning second seed Paolo Lorenzi 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Bogota final. The Colombian’s win on home soil marked the 23rd first-time titlist this year on the ATP Challenger Tour, surpassing last year’s total of 22. Lorenzi, meanwhile, moved to 42-11 on the circuit this year, falling to 4-1 in finals.

Throughout the week, local children in need took part in an initiative known as the 40×40 program, created by the Institute of Recreation and Sports to promote and grow the game in Colombia.

Challenger Ciudad de Guayaquil (Guayaquil, Ecuador): Gastao Elias went back-to-back in South America, winning the Guayaquil title one week after hoisting the trophy in Lima, Peru. It was Elias’ fourth Challenger crown. He routed top seed Diego Schwartzman 6-0, 6-4, sending the 2014 ATP Challenger Tour Finals champion to 0-4 in title matches this year. Closing in on a return to the Top 100 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, he soared to World No. 135.

Hua Hin Open (Hua Hin, Thailand): Japan’s Yuichi Sugita completed the Thai sweep, emerging with the inaugural Hua Hin title just two months after lifting the Bangkok trophy. Sugita did not drop a set in Bangkok and battled to the Hua Hin title – his fifth overall – after turning aside qualifier Stephane Robert 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. He was one of six unseeded champions on the ATP Challenger Tour last week.

What The Players Said
Struvay: “It is difficult to describe it. It’s an incredible sense of satisfaction and pride for myself to have survived so many complicated situations: injuries, bad moments, poor seasons. The perseverance is thanks to the good team that I have. I will continue rising.”

Elias: “The truth is that I was not expecting to win two tournaments in a row. I came here tired from last week, but the good thing is that I adjusted very well to the conditions and played my best tennis this week. I won against Top 100 players, tough players and I am very happy.”

Youzhny: “I had a tough year but my career isn’t finished yet. I’m still enjoying playing tennis. No matter on which court and in which tournament. This week was good for me. I played every match better than I did the day before.”

“It was a long time ago that I played challenger tournaments. It’s a little different. The crowd is closer to the court and the area is smaller but that is good for the atmosphere. It was a good atmosphere for tennis and I really enjoyed it.”

“I didn’t play too many matches this year, so that’s why I will probably play one or two more tournaments this year before I start my preparation for the 2016 season. These matches will help me to get confidence. I still think that I can play good tennis.”

WHAT’S AHEAD
There are six tournaments on four continents this week, with World No. 32 Benoit Paire leading the charge on home soil in Mouilleron Le Captif. The top seed is the highest-ranked player to feature on the ATP Challenger Tour this year. All eight seeds are in the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, marking the fifth time that has occurred this year (also Irving, Busan, Prostejov & Mons).

The USTA’s three-tournament Australian Open Wild Card Play-offs move to Knoxville, home of the University of Tennessee. Noah Rubin looks to build on his lead, but will face stiff competition in the form of fellow American teens Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Stefan Kozlov, Frances Tiafoe and Jared Donaldson. Malek Jaziri of Tunisia is the top seed, with 2013 champ Tim Smyczek seeded third.

In Bratislava, seventh seed Elias Ymer opens with a blockbuster matchup against wild card Radek Stepanek. Defending champion Peter Gojowczyk, fourth seed and 2011 & ‘13 titlist Lukas Lacko and top seed and 2012 champ Lukas Rosol are also in the field. In Buenos Aires, former champions Diego Schwartzman (2012) and Carlos Berlocq (2011) are seeded third and eighth, respectively. There are also events in Ortisei, Italy and Kobe, Japan.