Virtanen saves three championship points to make Top 100 debut
When the pressure is on, Otto Virtanen remains unshaken.
The 23-year-old saved three championship points Sunday to win the ATP Challenger Tour 100 event in Brest, France and make his Top 100 debut in the PIF ATP Rankings.
By escaping Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(6), Virtanen ended the Frenchman’s 14-match win streak at the Challenger level and improved to 6-0 in Challenger finals. The Finn is just the 10th player in Challenger history — and first since Alexander Bublik in 2019 — to win his first six final appearances.
This was not the first time Virtanen saved championship points to lift a trophy this season. He achieved the same feat in a two-hour, 41-minute final against Daniel Masur in March, when Virtanen defended his title at the Lugano Challenger. Virtanen, who has won three Challenger titles this season, is up to World No. 96.
🙌 OTTO VIRTANEN 🙌
Fresh off his title win in Brest, the 23-year-old makes his debut in the Top 100 #OnTheRise pic.twitter.com/z8MjBHS5Wf
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 28, 2024
Curitiba, Brazil
In other Challenger action, Portugal’s Jaime Faria lifted his second title of the season at the Copa Internacional de Tenis, Presented by Santander in Brazil. Faria, 21, ousted home hope Felipe Meligeni Alves 6-4, 6-4 in the final to continue his quest for a Top 100 breakthrough. Faria won his first Challenger title in May in Oeiras and is now at a career-high No. 120 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Faria was also a finalist at this month’s Valencia Challenger.
“I think I learned from the final two weeks ago in Valencia, playing against Pedro [Martinez] at home and now against Meligeni, also at home with the fans pushing for him. The fans’ energy put the energy into my game and not getting disturbed,” Faria said. “It’s a special feeling winning this title.”
<img alt=”Jaime Faria in action at the Curitiba Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/28/14/09/faria-curitibach-2024.jpg” />
Jaime Faria in action at the Curitiba Challenger. Credit: João Pires
Playford, Australia
Australian Rinky Hijikata captured his third Challenger title, which all have come on home soil. The 23-year-old overcame Yuta Shimizu 6-4, 7-6(4) in the final to triumph at the City of Playford Tennis International. Hijikata previously won the Playford Challenger in 2022.
<img alt=”Rinky Hijikata wins the Playford Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/28/14/18/hijikata-playfordch-2024.jpg” />
Rinky Hijikata wins the Playford Challenger. Credit: Tennis SA
Taipei, Chinese Taipei
Japan’s Taro Daniel completed a dominant week at the 2024 Taipei OEC Open, where he did not drop a set all week. The 31-year-old, seeded second, defeated third seed Adam Walton 6-4, 7-5 in the championship match, during which Daniel saved nine of the 10 break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
Despite Walton’s final loss, the Australian became the season leader in Challenger match wins (41) with his semi-final victory against countryman Aleksandar Vukic. Camilo Ugo Carabelli is the only other player with 40 Challenger match wins or more this season.
<img alt=”Taro Daniel wins the Taipei Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/28/13/59/daniel-taipeich-2024.jpg” />
Taro Daniel wins the Taipei Challenger. Credit: 2024 Taipei OEC Open
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Borna Gojo advanced through qualifying en route to winning the MarketBeat Open in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Croatian, who was sidelined for seven months earlier this year due to a back injury, downed American wild card Colton Smith 6-1, 7-5 in the final.
“A lot of things — people don’t really see after you get hurt for such a long time, for being at the top of your career and then going back to zero,” said Gojo, who finished 2023 at a career-best No. 72 and was at World No. 422 coming into Sioux Falls. “Mentally it wasn’t easy and I struggled, but always kind of stayed positive and went to all the doctors in this world to find a solution. I’m happy right now that I’m feeling well and playing some good tennis.”
<img alt=”Borna Gojo during the Sioux Falls Challenger final.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/28/14/24/gojo-siouxfallsch-2024.jpg” />
Borna Gojo during the Sioux Falls Challenger final. Credit: Jason Harris/MarketBeat Open