Cristian Garin captures fourth Challenger title of 2025, Struff secures Australian Open berth

Cristian Garin was all smiles again on the ATP Challenger Tour on Sunday. The Chilean claimed the title at the Uruguay Open in Montevideo after defeating Peru’s Ignacio Buse in the singles final.

The Arica native, who had previously knocked out compatriot Tomás Barrios Vera, pulled off an impressive comeback to win 6–7(3), 6–2, 6–2 in a match that lasted two hours and 15 minutes. Garin broke his rival six times, struck 23 winners and won 53 per cent of the total points played to secure victory.

Beyond adding another trophy to his collection, Garin earned significant rewards from his week in Uruguay. Most importantly, he secured his return to the Top 100 and has climbed to World No. 80 in the rankings.

This new position guarantees him direct entry into the main draw of the 2026 Australian Open. Garin will also reclaim the Chilean No. 1 spot, edging just ahead of Alejandro Tabilo.

In terms of prize money, Garin pocketed $23,000 as well as 100 ATP Ranking points for winning his fourth ATP Challenger Tour title of the season, following earlier triumphs in Mauthausen (Austria), Oeiras (Portugal) and on home soil in Antofagasta.

Struff secures Australian Open spot by winning in Lyon

Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff has clinched the seventh ATP Challenger Tour title of his career, and his first since 2022, by winning the ALL IN OPEN Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The No. 6 seed of the indoor hard-court event defeated British qualifier Liam Broady 6-4, 6-4 in Saturday’s final.

Struff, who lifted his maiden tour-level trophy on home soil in Munich last year, fired nine aces and won 84 per cent of his first-service points to prevail in one hour and 18 minutes.

With this win, the World No. 100 collected 75 valuable ATP Ranking points to punch his ticket into the main draw of the upcoming Australian Open.

North American swing ends in Champaign, Drummondville

The hard-court swing in the United States concluded with the Paine Schwartz Partners Challenger in Champaign, where Stefan Kozlov emerged victorious. The American defeated No. 4 seed Murphy Cassone 7-6(3), 7-5 in an all-American final.

Kozlov converted four of his 10 break-point chances and won 53 per cent of the total points played to prevail after two hours and five minutes.

The 27-year-old earned his sixth ATP Challenger Tour title—and his second in Champaign after 2021.

Meanwhile in Canada, Daniel Glinka was crowned champion at the Challenger Banque Nationale de Drummondville. The fourth-seeded Estonian halted the run of Canadian wild card Duncan Chan with a 6-4, 6-2 victory in the final. Glinka saved the only break point he faced and capitalized on three of his six break-point opportunities to clinch his maiden Challenger crown in one hour and 12 minutes.

Watanuki earns third Kobe trophy

Yosuke Watanuki captured the title at the ninth edition of the Hyogo Noah Challenger. The No. 4 seed of the ATP Challenger Tour 75 hard-court tournament outlasted Sweden’s Elias Ymer 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in Sunday’s singles final.

Watanuki, who reached the championship match with wins over American Kaylan Bigun, Portugal’s Frederico Ferreira Silva, fifth-seeded Frenchman Hugo Grenier, and top seed Chun-Hsin Tseng of Chinese Taipei, fired 18 aces and won 78 per cent of his first-service points to secure victory after two hours and one minute.

The 27-year-old Japanese player celebrated his third triumph in Kobe, having also lifted the trophy in 2019 and 2022. By winning his fourth ATP Challenger Tour title, his first since 2023, Watanuki collected $14,200 in prize money along with 75 ATP Ranking points.

Bolt returns to the winners’ circle

Meanwhile in Queensland, home favourite Alexander Bolt kicked off the 2025/26 Australian tennis summer with a triumph at the Brisbane QTC Tennis International 3. On Pat Rafter Arena, the No. 6 seed of the hard-court Challenger defeated qualifier Tung-Lin Wu of Chinese Taipei 6-3, 6-3 in the final.

Bolt saved all three break points he faced and converted three of his four opportunities to prevail after 68 minutes.

The 32-year-old Australian left-hander claimed the fourth Challenger title of his career, his first since Nottingham in 2021, and earned $14,200 in prize money as well as 75 ATP Ranking points.

ATP Challenger Tour Enters Penultimate Week

The ATP Challenger Tour kicks off its penultimate week of the season with seven tournaments on the schedule. The 20th edition of the Internazionali di Bergamo, one of the longest-running events on the ATP Challenger Tour, will celebrate its milestone anniversary in the spectacular new ChorusLife Arena, marking a major step forward for the event’s legacy and visibility.

“The return to Bergamo after a year in Rovereto makes this year’s edition especially meaningful,” said Marcella Messina, Bergamo’s Councillor for Social Policy, Longevity, Health, and Sport. “This event represents passion, resilience, and a deep connection to our community.”

The ATP will recognize the tournament’s longevity with a special award to be presented on Sunday, November 23, before the singles final—an honor reserved for the most enduring events on the circuit. Since its debut in 2006, the tournament has grown alongside Italian tennis, which today boasts a strong presence on the world stage.

The main draw will be led by Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki, a crowd-pleaser known for his fluid and eye-catching game. Among the seeded Italians are Francesco Passaro, Andrea Pellegrino, and Francesco Maestrelli, last year’s finalist in the edition played temporarily in Rovereto.

But the spotlight will burn brightest on two of the sport’s most promising teenagers: Croatia’s Matej Dodig (born 2005) and Germany’s Justin Engel (born 2007). Both are contenders for spots at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah. Engel, who recently captured his first ATP Challenger title at the Hamburg Ladies & Gents Cup in similar conditions, opens against a qualifier, with a possible blockbuster meeting against the Lajal–Mikrut winner.

Ecuador’s most traditional tennis tournament returns this week at the Guayaquil Tenis Club, bringing together top South American players and reaffirming its status as a key event on the ATP Challenger Tour. Adolfo Daniel Vallejo of Paraguay is the highest-ranked player in the main draw following the withdrawal of Tomas Barrios Vera. Challenger Ciudad de Guayaquil defending champion Federico Agustin Gomez of Argentina is also part of the line-up.

“This tournament has become a tradition—in the city, the country, and across South America,” said tournament director Andrés Gómez. “It is the oldest Challenger event in the region held continuously, which reflects the trust of the ATP, the Municipality of Guayaquil, and the private sector. For 21 consecutive years we’ve kept this event alive, thanks to everyone who supports it. The Guayaquil Tenis Club is our home, and this tournament truly belongs to the entire city—the sports capital of the Americas.”

For the very last time this year, the Challenger Tour returns to Spain for an outdoor clay-court event. Carlos Taberner is eyeing a home triumph at the III Challenger Montemar ENE Construcción as the tournament’s top seed. Argentine Marco Trungelliti is seeded second in Alicante.

On clay in Brazil, the fifth edition of the Engie Open in Florianópolis gets underway with João Lucas Reis da Silva as the top seed. Genaro Alberto Olivieri leads the bottom half of the draw.

The Australian summer of tennis continues with the NSW Open. Home favourites James Duckworth and Rinky Hijikata are the top two seeds in Sydney. Cruz Hewitt, the 16-year-old son of former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, received a wild card into the hard-court event.

Japanese players dominate the draw at the Yokohama Keio Challenger by Mita Kosan. Local hero Kei Nishikori leads the field and is joined by Rei Sakamoto and defending champion Yuta Shimizu.

Finally, Soma Bay, located on Egypt’s stunning Red Sea coast and known for its crystal-clear waters, year-round sunshine, and luxurious resort atmosphere, will host a Challenger tournament for the first time. Briton Jay Clarke is the top seed at the inaugural Soma Bay Open.