Unstoppable Navone Nails Back-To-Back Challenger Titles, Reaches Career High

Nobody has received extra ATP Challenger Tour titles this season than Mariano Navone. The Argentine claimed his fifth title of the yr at that stage this previous weekend when he captured the AAT Challenger Santa Fe 2 on residence soil.

The 22-year-old, who’s certainly one of 4 Challenger champions this previous week, defeated Italian Andrea Pellegrino 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 within the closing. Now at a career-high No. 127 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Navone has received 15 of his previous 16 matches on the ATP Challenger Tour, together with two consecutive titles after profitable in Buenos Aires the week previous to Santa Fe.

“In May of final yr I used to be dropping within the first spherical of an M15 and as we speak I’ve received 5 Challengers,” Navone stated in Spanish. “To that child I’d inform him to be calm, that good issues are going to return. At that second it was troublesome, however now we now have to proceed, end the [season] as excessive as attainable.”

Navone is the sixth participant with no less than 5 Challenger titles in a season this previous decade, becoming a member of Facundo Bagnis, Filip Krajinovic, Tallon Griekspoor, Sebastian Baez and Benjamin Bonzi. Navone is the fifth Argentine in ATP Challenger Tour historical past (since 1978) to gather 5 Challenger titles in a season.

In different motion, Frenchman Kyrian Jacquet claimed his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title on the Olbia Challenger in Italy. The 22-year-old received seven matches in eight days as he superior by means of qualifying en path to being topped champion. Jacquet downed #NextGenATP star Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-4 within the closing.

“It feels superb. It was a troublesome week. I’m actually pleased about this win as a result of now I’m in [good position for] Australian Open qualifying,” Jacquet stated. “It was a protracted, onerous week. Emotionally it was actually robust. It was onerous from the start to the top, however I by no means gave up and now I’ve the title.”

Players from France have mixed for a record-breaking 26 ATP Challenger Tour trophies this yr, with the Lyon-native Jacquet turning into the 18th totally different champion from his nation this season.

Following his triumph, Jacquet soared 101 spots to a career-high No. 201 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Cobolli, who received the Lisbon Challenger earlier this month, cracked the Top 100 for the primary time Monday following his finalist end in Olbia. The 21-year-old can also be eighth within the Pepperstone ATP Race to Jeddah as he goals for his maiden qualification into the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Australian James Duckworth collected his first ATP Challenger Tour since 2021 by profitable the Shenzhen Luohu Challenger, the place he cruised previous 19-year-old Chak Lam Coleman Wong 6-0, 6-1 within the closing. Despite falling quick in three Challenger finals in 2023, the 31-year-old Duckworth produced a excessive stage to seize his thirteenth ATP Challenger Tour crown.

“Really pleased to get by means of and get the win this week,” Duckworth stated. “I had a few losses in finals this yr that have been fairly robust and I’m pleased to win this one. I assumed I performed rather well the final three matches. I used to be actually focussed and locked in.”


James Duckworth wins the Challenger 75 occasion in Shenzhen, China. Credit: Shenzhen Louhu Challenger
Illya Marchenko received his second ATP Challenger Tour title of the season on the Hamburg Ladies & Gents Cup in Germany. The 36-year-old Ukrainian overcame Austrian Dennis Novak 6-2, 6-3 within the closing to earn his tenth profession title on the Challenger stage.

“I performed rather well as we speak,” Merchenko stated. “It was an nearly good match, definitely my better of the week. He had a number of probabilities on my serve within the first set, however I served strongly and performed good rallies. Overall, I’m very pleased with my recreation.

“This is the primary yr I’ve been in a position to win two singles titles in the identical season. At 36 years previous it’s actually fairly stunning, nevertheless it feels nice.”

Illya Marchenko wins the Challenger 50 event in Hamburg, Germany.
Illya Marchenko wins the Challenger 50 occasion in Hamburg, Germany. Credit: Witters

Source web site: www.atptour.com

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