SEGOVIA/STARNBERG, July 26, 2026
The 40th edition of the Open Castilla y León Villa de El Espinar will conclude with an all-French singles final after Luka Pavlovic and Matteo Martineau advanced through Saturday’s semifinals. Meanwhile, Spaniards Alejo Sanchez and Benjamín Winter crowned another remarkable week by lifting the doubles title, their second ATP Challenger trophy together in just seven days.
Pavlovic booked his place in the championship match with an impressive 6-2, 7-6(3) victory over top seed Keegan Smith of the United States. The Frenchman dominated the opening set before holding his nerve in a second-set tie-break to reach his fourth Challenger final, where he will chase his maiden title at this level.
“I feel very good. I played a great match from start to finish and stayed very focused because he’s a very tall player whose serve is difficult to return here. Hopefully I’ll become the 13th French champion in El Espinar,” Pavlovic said after the match.
The 25-year-old has dropped just one set throughout the week and is guaranteed a significant rise in the ATP Rankings. Victory on Sunday would move him close to his career-high ranking.
Martineau earned his place in the final after surviving a thrilling three-set battle against fifth seed Oliver Crawford of Great Britain. The Frenchman claimed the opening set 6-3 before Crawford responded by taking the second 7-5. Martineau regrouped in a dramatic deciding-set tie-break to seal a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(4) victory.
Tenemos segundo finalista.
Matteo Martineau ¡Enhorabuena! 👏Matteo Martineau vs Oliver Crawford (6-3 5-7 7-6) pic.twitter.com/9VUbAgWc8T
— Tenis El Espinar (@Tenis_Espinar) July 25, 2026
“I feel great after winning. It was a tough match with a lot of ups and downs, but reaching the final gives me a lot of confidence. Luka and I know each other very well—we’re friends—so it should be a very good final. I hope many fans come to enjoy it,” Martineau said.
Like Pavlovic, Martineau will be playing in his fourth Challenger final and is also seeking his first title at this level. Sunday’s showdown will be the third all-French singles final in the tournament’s history, following the editions in 2004 and 2022.
Sanchez and Winter extend unbeaten run
Earlier in the day, Alejo Sanchez and Benjamín Winter claimed the doubles title by defeating Turkey’s Arda Azkara and Yanki Erel in a dramatic final. The Spaniards came from a set down to prevail 2-6, 7-6(2), 10-7, repeating their victory over the same opponents after defeating them in last week’s Pozoblanco Challenger final.
The Spanish duo recovered from a 0-5 deficit in the decisive match tie-break, winning ten of the final twelve points to complete another memorable comeback and extend their unbeaten partnership to 7-0.
“It’s an incredible feeling. We’ve had two perfect weeks, playing at a very high level and taking advantage of the opportunities when they came. Winning the 40th edition of this tournament is something you’ll tell your grandchildren one day,” Winter said after the victory.
Sanchez added: “The most important thing for me is winning it with Benji. He’s one of my best friends on tour, and doing it at home makes it even more special. I’d also like to thank all the fans who supported us throughout the week—they really helped us achieve this title.”
For Sanchez and Winter, it marks a second consecutive ATP Challenger doubles title after the Open Ciudad de Pozoblanco and caps an unforgettable fortnight on the Spanish Challenger circuit.
