BUENOS AIRES/STARNBERG, June 25, 2022

For the second consecutive time Mariano Navone knocked out Juan Pablo Ficovich, top seed of an ATP Challenger Tour clay-court event in Argentina. Following last week’s triumph in the stage of the last four in Corrientes, the 21-year-old Argentine headlined Friday’s quarterfinals action at the Dove Men+Care Legión Sudamericana Challenger Buenos Aires by beating his compatriot and World No. 168, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3.

Navone capitalized on five of his 15 break-point chances to secure victory in two hours and 11 minutes.

“It’s something incredible,” said Navone. “The truth is that I’m playing very well. Today was a very tough match, I had to fight for all the points. I really can’t believe I’ve made a final and now I’m back in the semi-finals, it’s all very crazy.”

The World No. 433 will next take on Malek Jaziri. The seventh seed from Tunisia fought past Gonzalo Villanueva of Argentina 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 in one hour and 37 minutes.

Así cerraba @marianonavone1 su pase a semifinales 👌🏼 pic.twitter.com/O2KaPVlf9M

— Argentina Tenis (@AATenis) June 24, 2022

In the bottom half of the draw, Francisco Comesana continued his fine run of form on home soil. The third seed, champion of last week’s Challenger Corrientes, cruised past Arklon Huertas del Pino Cordova from Peru 6-2, 6-1 in exactly one hour of play.

Comesana will next face Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves, who beat fellow Brazilian Joao Lucas Reis da Silva 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 13 minutes.

Friday Results

Singles – Quarterfinals
M. Navone (ARG) d [1] J. Ficovich (ARG) 36 60 63
[2] F. Meligeni Rodrigues Alves (BRA) d J. Reis Da Silva (BRA) 64 62
[3] F. Comesana (ARG) d A. Huertas Del Pino Cordova (PER) 62 61
[7] M. Jaziri (TUN) d [4] G. Villanueva (ARG) 62 16 63

Doubles – Semif-inales
M. Descotte (ARG) / A. Lingua Lavallen (ARG) d N. Alvarez (PER) / M. Dellien (BOL) 64 16 10-4