Aleksandar Kovacevic enjoyed a golden week at the indoor courts of the Jamor Tennis Complex in Oeiras, claiming the title at the second Indoor Oeiras Open. The third and final tournament of the ATP Challenger Tour series, organized by the Portuguese Tennis Federation, begins this Monday and will run through Sunday.

The World No. 109 from the United States sealed his glorious campaign with a 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over Zsombor Piros in Sunday’s singles final. The Hungarian had reason to celebrate upon his return to the site where he won his most significant career title to date — the Oeiras Open 125 event on clay in May 2023.

Like Hamad Medjedovic in the first week, Kovacevic was competing in Portugal for the first time and successfully upheld his status as the tournament’s top seed. His efforts were rewarded with the fifth ATP Challenger Tour career title, the first since late 2023, after a 2024 season spent primarily on the ATP Tour.

Just like last week, the first seed was playing in Portugal for the first time and leaves as the champion.

Aleksandar Kovacevic defeats Zsombor Piros 6-4, 7-6(4) to claim the 5th @ATPChallenger title of his career, first since November 2023. pic.twitter.com/cvGHvrPK64

— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) January 19, 2025

“I’m very happy. I’ve been focusing on raising my level. When I first broke into the top 100, my goal was to improve my game because results naturally follow. I lost sight of that a bit recently, so I’m especially pleased with the way I’ve been playing,” Kovacevic said post-match.

The 26-year-old US-American had a flawless start to the week, not dropping a single service game or facing more than two break points in his first three matches. However, he was tested in the semifinals and showed signs of nerves during the final.

He began the match less sharp than his opponent in a high-stakes encounter that drew strong crowd support despite the absence of Portuguese players. Kovacevic then struggled as he approached the finish line, losing a 3-0 lead in the second set and dropping his serve twice in succession.

“It was a tough match. I had some mental lapses, losing my break advantage in the second set and then getting broken again after being up 40-0 with new balls. I made a couple of double faults in that game. Finals are never easy, and since it’s the last match of the week, you have to leave everything on the court. I tried to reset and focus on the next point, made it to the tiebreak, and good things happened. Of course, there are things I wish I’d done better, but it could always be worse. You have to put things into perspective and keep fighting,” Kovacevic added.

This Sunday’s title win will not immediately affect his ATP ranking, as the standings will only be updated after the conclusion of the Australian Open. However, Kovacevic is on the verge of returning to the top 100, where he last ranked in November 2024.