PHOENIX/STARNBERG, March 14, 2025

The top four seeds experienced mixed fortunes at the Arizona Tennis Classic, with the top two advancing to the next round while the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds fell in their opening second-round matches of the ATP Challenger Tour 175 tournament in Phoenix.

Two-time defending champion Nuno Borges made a perfect start in his hunt for a three-peat by beating Jacob Fearnly of Great Britain 6-2, 7-5 on Thursday. The No. 1 seed from Portugal withstood six aces and broke his opponent’s serve four times to succeed in one hour and 18 minutes. Borges will next take US-American wild card entry Colton Smith.

In the bottom half of the draw, Flavio Cobolli had to go the distance to overcome local wild card Eliot Spizzirri, winning 6-3, 5-7, 7-5. The second-seeded Italian struck seven aces and won 65 per cent of his first-service points to prevail after two hours and 25 minutes. Cobolli will meet Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals.

In other action, Corentin Moutet knocked off No. 3 seed Pedro Martinez of Spain 6-4, 6-3. The World No. 79 from France won 55 per cent of the total points played to advance in one hour and 36 minutes. Up next for Moutet will be Alexander Bublik from Kazakhstan.

Brazilian rising star Joao Fonseca, who claimed his maiden ATP Tour title at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires last month, outlasted fourth-seeded German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. The 18-year-old Rio de Janeiro native broke the big-serving German five times to secure victory in one hour and 41 minutes.

“It was difficult to warm up today, a lot of rain. It’s cold outside, a little bit windy, so it was difficult to focus,” Fonseca said in his on-court interview. “I’m happy with the way that I fought today.” Fonseca opposes Hugo Gaston of France in the stage of the last eight.

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— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) March 14, 2025