Rincon, former US Open boys champ, wins first Challenger title

Daniel Rincon earned a career milestone Sunday at the ATP Challenger Tour 75 event in Tampere, Finland, where the 21-year-old claimed his first title at that level.

The Spaniard joins elite company as a former US Open junior champion to win a Challenger title in the past 10 years, alongside Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Wu Yibing and Thiago Seyboth Wild. Rincon, a 2021 graduate of the Rafa Nadal Academy, defeated fourth seed Calvin Hemery 6-1, 7-6(4) in the Tampere Open final.

Following his title run, the lefty is up to a career-high No. 164 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Rincon is the youngest Spanish Challenger champion since Pablo Llamas Ruiz last July.

Daniel Rincon triumphs on the clay courts of Tampere, Finland. Credit: Tampere Open

In other ATP Challenger Tour action, Canadian Gabriel Diallo was unbroken across five matches to win the Chicago Men’s Challenger. The 6’8” 22-year-old faced just four break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, relying on his hefty serve to capture his third Challenger title and first of this season.

A Montreal native who played at the University of Kentucky before turning pro at the end of 2022, Diallo ousted Buyunchaokete 6-3, 7-6(3) in the final. China’s ‘Bu’ last week won the Granby Challenger, Diallo’s home tournament which he triumphed at in 2022.

“It means a lot because it’s hard work from the previous months that we’ve been putting in, my team and I,” Diallo told commentator Mike Cation. “Obviously with my height, the goal is to not get broken, but obviously it happens sometimes. But the fact that I was able to go the whole tournament without getting broken was very impressive. I think it goes to the hard work we put in, not only on the serve, but the serve plus-one and my game overall.”

Gabriel Diallo is crowned champion at the Chicago Men's Challenger. Credit: Eduardo Cantu

Swiss Jerome Kym enjoyed a dream week on home soil at the Dialectic Zug Open, where he collected his second Challenger title. The 21-year-old last month won the Prostejov Challenger as a qualifier. Kym raced past fourth-seeded Argentine Roman Andres Burruchaga 6-4, 6-4 in the final and is up to a career-high No. 181 following his title run.

“It's been an absolutely great atmosphere here in Zug every day,” Kym said while thanking the home crowd in the trophy presentation. “So many fans coming out to see the players. It always feels like playing Davis Cup when a Swiss player makes it to the finals at a Swiss tournament, the people are crazy for tennis.”

Jerome Kym competes in front of a packed crowd Sunday in Zug, Switzerland. Credit: Fabian Meierhans/Dialectic Zug Open

Frenchman Antoine Escoffier went one step further than last week’s runner-up finish in Pozoblanco to claim the Open Castilla y Leon in Segovia, Spain, where he was a finalist last year. The top seed defeated Spaniard Alex Martinez 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 in the title match.

At 32 years and four months, Escoffier is the second-oldest first-time winner in Challenger history. Only Joseph Sirianni (32 years, 10 months) was older when he won his maiden title in Caloundra, Australia (2007).

Antoine Escoffier wins the hard-court tournament in Segovia, Spain. Credit: Open Castilla y Leon

“I feel very proud because last year it was a close match, I lost in the final. I really wanted to do my best today and hopefully get the title, which is done now,” Escoffier said.

Italian Federico Arnaboldi advanced through qualifying en route to winning the Internazionali di Tennis Verona. The 24-year-old downed #NextGenATP Vilius Gaubas 6-2, 6-2 in the final to win his first Challenger title. Arnaboldi is up 108 spots to a career-high World No. 251.

Federico Arnaboldi at the Verona Challenger. Credit: Internazionali di Tennis Verona

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