SALVADOR DE BAHIA/STARNBERG, May 8, 2022
Top seed Tomas Barrios Vera and unseeded Joao Domingues will compete in the championship match of the Challenger 80 Dove Men+Care Salvador. The $53,120 ATP Challenger Tour clay-court event is being held at the Costa Verde Tenis Clube in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.
In Saturday’s semi-finals, Barrios Vera rallied past Gonzalo Villanueva of Argentina 6-7(0), 6-3, 6-4. The World No. 145 from Chile capitalized on six of his 17 break-point chances to prevail after two hours and 54 minutes.
Domingues also had to go the distance after losing the opening set, as he outlasted second-seeded Argentine Renzo Olivo 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. The 28-year-old Portuguese won 52 per cent of the total points played to seal victory in two hours and 53 minutes.
Barrios Vera is seeking his second Challenger career crown following his maiden triumph in Meerbusch, Germany last year. Domingues could lift his third trophy, his first since his title win on home soil at the 2019 Braga Open. The pair will meet for the first time.
Hidalgo/Rodriguez claim doubles title
In other action, Diego Hidalgo from Ecuador and Cristian Rodriguez of Colombia captured the doubles title. The No. 2 seeds defeated the tournament’s top favourites and local heroes Orlando Luz and Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves 7-5, 6-1 in one hour and 15 minutes.
Team title No. 4⃣ this year 💪@diegohidalgoEC & @rodriguezcris90 are the champions in Salvador de Bahia, claiming an #ATPChallenger-leading fourth team 🏆 of 2022.
📸 Luiz Cândido/CBT pic.twitter.com/vP7NPRKPeE
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) May 7, 2022
“It was a positive week, although we lost in the final, we played well. Today we had many chances but couldn’t capitalized on it,” said Meligeni, who is now heading to Croatia.
“Making a final is always good, even if it’s not the result we wanted. All credits to our opponents,” added Luz, who plays in Chile next week.
Hidalgo and Rodriguez claimed an ATP Challenger Tour-leading fourth team title of the season. They split $3,100 in prize money and earned 80 ATP Doubles Ranking points.
