Basavareddy boosts Jeddah hopes with Challenger title; Fognini back in winner's circle

  • Posted: Nov 25, 2024

#NextGenATP American Nishesh Basavareddy continued his red-hot run Sunday when he claimed his second ATP Challenger Tour title, boosting his chances of qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

The 19-year-old, who has won 21 of his 25 past Challenger matches, fought through hot and humid conditions in Mexico to triumph at the Partners Open Puerto Vallarta. The top seed downed Canadian Liam Draxl 6-3, 7-6(4) in the final.

“It feels great. I’ve lost a couple finals, won my first title in Tiburon [in October], but I’ve lost two more finals after that so I’m really happy to get over the finish line,” said Basavareddy, who holds a 41-13 season record on the ATP Challenger Tour.

Basavareddy’s Puerto Vallarta title comes at a crucial time with just one week remaining to qualify for the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. The teenager currently holds the final qualifying position at eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. The cutoff date to qualify is 2 December.

“It was definitely a goal at the start of the year,” Basavareddy said. “I played in college [at Stanford University] and so in June it didn’t seem too realistic when I was far behind a lot of guys my age. I’d be super excited to play in Jeddah.”

In other Challenger action, Italians Fabio Fognini and Luca Nardi lifted trophies on the same day their home country won the Davis Cup. Former World No. 9 Fognini defeated Austrian Lukas Neumayer 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 in the final to win the Il Montemar Challenger ENE Construccion in Spain.

The 37-year-old made the best possible use of a wild card, collecting his eighth Challenger title and first since last November, when he also triumphed in the penultimate week of the season.

“I’m still competing and I’m really thankful,” Fognini said. “I have the opportunity to play against these guys who are going up really fast. They run everywhere, they play really good shots. I’m happy with my performance and winning this tournament.”

Nardi, 21, won the all-Italian final in Rovereto, where he downed Francesco Maestrelli 6-1, 6-3 in the Citta’ Di Rovereto championship match. Earlier this month, Nardi lost the Helsinki Challenger final to Kei Nishikori but the second seed went one step further on home soil to collect his seventh title at that level. Nardi is up to No. 90 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“It’s a great relief,” Nardi said when asked about strengthening his chances for a main-draw spot at the Australian Open. “It was the goal at the beginning of the week, I had no alternatives and it’s really a great satisfaction.”

Argentine Francisco Comesana overcame several tough tests in São Paulo, Brazil to claim his seventh Challenger title and third this year. The 24-year-old defeated countryman Thiago Agustin Tirante 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in the final of the Torneio Internacional Masculino de Tenis Ano 7 / Engie Open. In the semi-finals, Comesana fended off one match point against Matias Soto to stay alive.

<img alt=”Francisco Comesana in action at the São Paulo Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/25/15/37/comesana-saopaoloch-2024.jpg” />
Francisco Comesana in action at the São Paulo Challenger. Credit: São Paulo Challenger

Following his title on the Brazilian hard courts, Comesana is up to a career-high No. 84 in the PIF ATP Rankings. His two previous Challenger titles this year came in Buenos Aires (October) and Oeiras (April).

Japan’s Yuta Shimizu capped a dream week on home soil, lifting the title at the YOKOHAMA KEIO CHALLENGER by MITA KOSAN. The 25-year-old lefty rallied past Australian Li Tu 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2 in the final to secure his maiden Challenger crown. Shimizu ended his five-match skid in Challenger finals, which included a runner-up finish last year in Yokohama.

<img alt=”Yuta Shimizu wins the Yokohama Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/25/15/36/shimizu-yokohamach-2024.jpg” />
Yuta Shimizu wins the Yokohama Challenger. Credit: Yokohama Challenger

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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