OEIRAS, May 21, 2021
#NextGenATP star Carlos Alcaraz and Argentine veteran Facundo Bagnis will meet in Saturday’s championship match of the ATP Challenger 125 Oeiras Open hosted by the Complexo Desportivo Nacional do Jamor in Oeiras.
Alcaraz battled past Japanese Taro Daniel, who appeared in his first Challenger semi-final on clay since the 2018 Poznan Open, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 on a sunny Friday afternoon in Portugal. The 18-year-old Spaniard converted six of his 15 break-point chances to secure victory in two hours and 35 minutes.
“Until 6-2, 5-3 I played a great level of tennis and controlled the match, but Taro is a great player. I gave him a little margin and these types of players make the most of these opportunities. I rushed a little at the end of the second set and at this level with some errors it may be enough. It happened, but then I knew how to recover and I was back on top to earn a very good victory,” Alcaraz said.
The smile on his face says it all: @alcarazcarlos03 dream win would be to beat Rafa Nadal… In Paris!
He’s through to the semi-finals here in #OeirasOpen @ATPChallenger 125. pic.twitter.com/yXkzHjQAKs
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) May 21, 2021
Bagnis beats Gaston
Earlier in the day, Bagnis eased past Frenchman Hugo Gaston 6-0, 6-2 to reach his 25th singles final on the ATP Challenger Tour. The No. 7 seed dominated the action and won 66 per cent of the total points played to advance after one hour and 13 minutes.
.@facubagnis defeats Hugo Gaston 6-0, 6-2 to reach the #OeirasOpen 125 singles final — his 3rd @ATPChallenger final in Portuguese soil, after being a runner-up in Braga and Lisboa in back to back weeks in 2019. Last opponent for him will be the winner of Alcaraz vs. Daniel. pic.twitter.com/n7jATbFtfy
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) May 21, 2021
“I tactically played very well. I had already faced him about nine months ago, he is a player with a lot of talent, but he has many ups and downs. I needed to stay focused and be aggressive,” said Bagnis.
Alcaraz, who currently sits at a career-high ranking of World No. 114, is vying for his fourth ATP Challenger career title on Saturday. Thirty-one-year-old Bagnis could lift his 14th trophy, his first since Biella, Italy last year. Alcaraz won the only previous meeting between the two in the quarterfinals of the Cordenons Challenger 2020.
In the Oeiras Open doubles final, Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul of France will take on US-American Hunter Reese and Sem Verbeek from the Netherlands. Saturday’s action will start at 12 noon local time.
