CAMPINAS/STARNBERG, October 19, 2024
The semi-finals of the Campeonato Internacional De Tenis presented by Santander in Campinas, Brazil are set. Juan Pablo Ficovich of Argentina and Alvaro Guillen Meza of Ecuador will go head to head on Saturday.
Meza, who entered the ATP Challenger Tour 100 tournament as an alternate, pulled off a surprise by defeating 2019 champion, Juan Pablo Varillas from Peru 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Last season at the age of 20 Meza became the first Ecuadorian to win an ATP Challenger title since 2003, and he now has a chance to become the first alternate to reach the final in Campinas.
Vamos Alvaro! @alvaroguillen03 advances to his third Challenger semifinal of the season after battling past Varillas 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in Campinas#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/GqQO5rtMt7
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 18, 2024
Ficovich is getting closer to winning his first Challenger 100 title. In Campinas, he started his campaign by defeating the second seed, Francisco Comesana, and secured a spot in the semifinals on Friday by coming from behind to beat his compatriot Roman Andres Burruchaga 1-6, 6-2, 6-4.
“Today’s level of tennis is very even, and from the first round, anyone can win. That’s why it’s important to stay mentally strong. The ones who can remain focused, endure challenges, and recover during matches will win more often, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do throughout the season. A few weeks ago, I reached the 230th spot in the rankings, and now I want to keep winning to finish the year ranked below 190 or 180. I have four or five tournaments left, and the most important thing is to keep winning,” Ficovich said.
With family ties in Brazil, Ficovich hopes to gain the crowd’s support. “My mother is Brazilian, born in Paraíba, and I feel half Brazilian, half Argentine. My father is Argentine, and I’ve never lived here, but I have more family in Brazil than in Buenos Aires. Since I was a child, I spent Christmas and New Year’s vacations in João Pessoa, which I love. The beaches are beautiful. My parents spend three to four months a year in Brazil, with my grandmother, who is 96, along with my cousins and uncles. I’ve always loved being with them, and this year, when I played in Recife, I had the chance to visit them again,” he added.
In the second semi-final US-American Tristan Boyer will take on No. 4 seed Camilo Ugo Carabelli from Argentina.
