KIGALI/STARNBERG, February 26, 2025
Italian Marco Cecchinato headlined Wednesday’s second-round action at the Rwanda Challenger. The 32-year-old from Sicily, who received a wild card into the main draw of the ATP Challenger Tour 75 clay-court event being held at the IPRC Kicukiro Ecology Tennis Club in Kigali, edged out second-seeded Spaniard Carlos Taberner 7-6(6), 7-5.
Cecchinato capitalized on six of his 12 break-point opportunities and won 52 per cent of the total points played to advance in two hours and 17 minutes.
Cecchinato, who experienced a magical run at 2018 Roland Garros that took him from an unseeded underdog to a Grand Slam semifinalist, defeating Novak Djokovic along the way, is seeking his first title since the Rio de Janeiro Challenger in October 2022. The World No. 426 will next take on No. 5 seed Lukas Neumayer. The 22-year-old Austrian fought past Carlos Sanchez Jover of Spain 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in two hours and 27 minutes.
Royer remains highest seed left in the draw
Valentin Royer remains the highest-ranked player in the singles draw. The World No. 182 from France rallied from a set down to outlast Dutch qualifier Guy den Ouden 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4). Royer withstood seven aces and broke his opponent’s serve three times to succeed in two hours and 16 minutes.
Valentin volley
No.3 seed @royer_valentin takes Den Ouden into a decider #ATPChallenger | @RWAChallenger | #RwandaChallenger2025 pic.twitter.com/p2ECNA53ip
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) February 26, 2025
The No. 3 seed will next face sixth-seeded Romanian Filip Cristian Jianu, who beat Austrian qualifier Neil Oberleitner 7-6(5), 6-3.
Neuchrist wins all-Austrian affair
In the top half of the draw, Maximilian Neuchrist won the battle of the generations with fellow Austrian Joel Schwaerzler. The 33-year-old rallied past the 19-year-old lefty 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 in two hours and 35 minutes. Up next for Neuchrist will be Max Houkes from the Netherlands.
Mathys Erhard benefited from the retirement of fellow Frenchman Luka Pavlovic, leading 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 3-0 and is playing in the quarterfinals the winner of the encounter between Slovakian qualifier Andrej Martin and Alex Marti Pujolras of Spain. Ahead of the start of the third set, their match was suspended due to darkness.
