Sakamoto, 18, closes Challenger season in historic fashion
Japan’s Rei Sakamoto finished the 2024 season in perfect fashion Sunday when he made history in front of his home fans.
The 18-year-old won his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title and became the second-youngest Japanese winner at that level. Only Kei Nishikori, former World No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings, won a Challenger title at a younger age in 2008.
Sakamoto was competing as a wild card in just his sixth Challenger outing. The #NextGenATP teen downed German qualifier Christoph Negritu 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the final. Sakamoto, who won this year’s Australian Open boys’ singles title, is the third-youngest Challenger champion this season. Only Joao Fonseca and Joel Schwaerzler were younger when they lifted trophies.
Youngest Japanese Challenger Champions
| Kei Nishikori | 18 years, three months | 2008 Bermuda |
| Rei Sakamoto | 18 years, five months | 2024 Yokkaichi |
Sakamoto’s triumph also caps a historic season for Japanese players on the Challenger Tour. Eight Japanese players combined for 10 Challenger titles this year, marking a record for the Asian country. Following Sakamoto’s title, he is up to a career-high No. 412 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
Sakamoto was not the only Challenger titlist to make history this past week. Hady Habib became the first Lebanese champion in Challenger history, with his victory at the
Challenger Dove Men+Care Temuco. Lebanon is the 85th different country or territory with a Challenger title.
<img alt=”Hady Habib is crowned champion at the Temuco Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/12/02/16/46/habib-temucoch-2024.jpg?h=1080&w=1920″ />
Hady Habib is crowned champion at the Temuco Challenger. Credit: Challenger Dove Men+Care Temuco
Habib, 26, survived Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-4, 6-7(3), 7-6(2) in a thrilling two-hour, 34-minute final. The former Texas A&M University standout held his nerve despite failing to serve out the championship match at 6-4, 5-4.
“Right now I think I have the biggest dopamine rush that I think I’ve had the entire year. Finishing the year like this is incredible, making history for my country,” Habib said. “I’m at a loss for words.”
Damir Dzumhur won a season-leading sixth Challenger title at the Maia Open, where he raced past Italian Francesco Passaro 6-3, 6-4 in the final. Dzumhur dropped the opening set of his campaign and rarely looked back to collect his 14th Challenger crown.
“It was the best possible finish to the year for me,” Dzumhur said. “I’m so happy. It means a lot to me. Probably one of the results that I can say means the most for me in my career. Winning ATP tournaments is a great feeling, playing Grand Slams with the big players, winning against some great players is a great feeling, but once you are coming back, you appreciate everything more. This is why I appreciate this result even more.”
<img alt=”Damir Dzumhur in action at the Maia Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/12/02/16/44/dzumhur-maiach-2024.jpg” />
Damir Dzumhur in action at the Maia Challenger. Credit: FPT/Maia Open
The 32-year-old Dzumhur will finish the season inside the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings, which he returned to in August for the first time in four years.
German Mats Rosenkranz triumphed at the Manzanillo Open in Mexico to claim his first Challenger title. The 26-year-old was competing in just his third tournament at that level this season. Rosenkranz defeated Gonzalo Oliveira 6-3, 6-4 in the title match and rose 109 spots in the PIF ATP Rankings, climbing to World No. 373.
<img alt=”Mats Rosenkranz celebrates winning the Manzanillo Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/12/02/16/40/rozenkranz-manzanilloch-2024.jpg” />
Mats Rosenkranz celebrates winning the Manzanillo Challenger. Credit: Toño Torres Téllez