BUENOS AIRES/STARNBERG, January 14, 2024
Two qualifiers will compete in the singles final of the Challenger AAT de TCA 1, as Gonzalo Bueno of Peru and Dmitry Popko from Kazakhstan go head-to-head on Sunday at the Tenis Club Argentino in Buenos Aires.
Bueno advanced to his first championship match on the ATP Challenger Tour following a solid 6-4, 6-4 win over Joao Lucas Reis da Silva from Brazil in the stage of the last four. The 19-year-old Trujillo native converted three of his six break-point chances to succeed in one hour and 35 minutes.
Gonzalo Bueno breaks new ground 👊
The 19-year-old is through to his first career Challenger final after overcoming Reis Da Silva 6-4, 6-4 in Buenos Aires #ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/IgDWe1KVer
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) January 13, 2024
Popko ended the run of Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, winning 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday. The World No. 417 broke Fonseca’s serve five times to prevail after one hour and 25 minutes.
Popko, a winner of 21 titles on the ITF Pro Circuit, could lift his second Challenger trophy following his triumph in Lisbon, Portugal 2021. The finalists will meet for the first time.
Huertas del Pino siblings triumph in doubles
In other action, Conner Huertas del Pino and Arklon Huertas del Pino Cordova clinched the doubles title. The No. 3 seed from Peru fought past Max Houkes from the Netherlands and Austrian Lukas Neumayer 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 in one hour and 11 minutes.
The Huertas del Pino siblings split $2,140 in prize money and earned 50 ATP Doubles Ranking points.
