VALENCIA, May 14, 2026
Fate has decided that the final two Spanish players remaining at the 2026 Copa Faulconbridge will face each other on Friday for a place in the semifinals.
Jaume Munar earned his spot in the last eight after a hard-fought 6-2, 7-6(4) victory over Bosnian Damir Dzumhur. The No. 2 seed converted four of his eight break-point chances to advance in two hours and three minutes.
Later in the evening, Pablo Carreno Busta produced one of the matches of the ATP Challenger 175 tournament in Valencia, battling back from a set down to outlast sixth-seeded Argentine Sebastian Baez 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 in an epic contest, which ended under the lights at 10 pm local time. Carreno Busta won two points less than his opponent but prevailed after two hours and 49 minutes.
The dramatic comeback rewarded the fans who stayed until the final point, creating one of the most memorable nights of the week at the Club de Tenis Valencia.
PCB fights on 💪
The Spaniard prevails 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 after a 2h 49min battle ⚔️#ATPChallenger | @copafbvalencia https://t.co/VQQ4uYP9kU pic.twitter.com/DSG9qY5jTX
— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) May 14, 2026
Earlier in the day, Nicolas Alvarez Varona of Spain was eliminated by Daniel Vallejo from Paraguay 7-6(3), 6-0 in a match where the Spaniard faded physically after a highly competitive opening set.
One of the most emotional moments of the tournament came with the farewell of Roberto Bautista Agut, who played his final Copa Faulconbridge match before bowing out to Zizou Bergs, currently ranked world No. 39, by a score of 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.
The Castellon native fought relentlessly throughout a beautiful and intense encounter, but Bergs ultimately proved too strong. After the match, Bautista received a heartfelt tribute from the tournament organisers, including a farewell video featuring several legends of the sport congratulating him on his outstanding career.
Elsewhere, Italian Matteo Berrettini, one of the biggest attractions of the week in Valencia, was unable to overcome No. 4 seed Camilo Ugo Carabelli of Argentina, who continued his impressive rise with a 7-6(2), 6-4 victory.
Tabilo tops Kovacevic
Top seed Alejandro Tabilo made a strong start to his campaign by defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic from the United States 6-3, 6-1, reinforcing his status as one of the leading contenders for the title.
The world No. 35 from Chile hit 18 winners and won 57 per cent of the total points played to succeed in 69 minutes.
“I played very solid and served well. I also find my rhythm at the returns, which helped me a lot. I stayed aggressive and that was key today,” Tabilo told Tennis TourTalk.
The quarterfinal lineup will also feature an all-Serbian clash between Miomir Kecmanovic and Dusan Lajovic, adding another intriguing storyline to the Valencia weekend.
Bernabe Zapata Brings His Career to a Close
In the doubles draw, Bernabe Zapata Miralles once again took centre stage on Court 4 alongside close friend Pedro Martinez.
The Spanish pair were defeated 6-3, 6-3 by Sander Arends and David Pel, officially bringing Zapata Miralles’ professional tennis career to an end. The 29-year-old from Valencia leaves the sport after years of dedication and unforgettable moments, receiving an emotional farewell from the home crowd that supported him throughout the week.
