BUENOS AIRES/STARNBERG, June 26, 2022
In a repeat of last week’s Challenger Corrientes final, Francisco Comesana and Mariano Navone will go head-to-head in Sunday’s all-Argentine title match of the Dove Men+Care Legión Sudamericana Challenger Buenos Aires.
In-form Comesana, No. 3 seed of the $37,520 ATP Challenger Tour clay-court tournament and Corrientes champion, defeated Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves of Brazil 6-3, 6-2 in the stage of the last four on Saturday. The World No. 239 converted three of his five break-point opportunities to advance in one hour and 18 minutes.
“I am feeling very good. We go match by match and today was one of the best of the year,” Comesana said.
“We fulfilled one of the objectives that we set ourselves at the beginning of the year, which was to reach the qualifying of a Grand Slam tournament, so I am very happy to continue on this path,” the 21-year-old Mar del Plata added.
Later in the day, Navone edged out No. 7 seed Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 7-5, 6-0 to reach his second Challenger career final. The World No. 433 won 58 per cent of the total points played to secure victory in one hour and 33 minutes.
“There were a lot of things that happened the last two weeks. I am playing the best tennis of my life. I am winning incredible matches, today I won a great match again,” said Navone.
“What I am experiencing is something beautiful. Tomorrow is the last match. Last week I was upset, but we’re going to try to start the final much better than the previous one.”
Comesana, who is seeking his second Challenger crown, leads the head-to-head series between the two Gauchos 4-0. With his first win over Comesana, Navone could lift his maiden Challenger trophy.
Huertas del Pino Bros. earn doubles title
In other action, Arklon Huertas del Pino Cordova and Conner Huertas del Pino captured the doubles title. The Peruvian siblings, third seeds in Buenos Aires, fought past the all-Argentine combination of Matias Franco Descotte and Alejo Lorenzo Lingua Lavallen 7-5, 4-6, 11-9. The final lasted one hour and 38 minutes.
“I am very happy to win our first Challenger tournament together, we knew that if we continued working together we would achieve it in the long run,” explained Arklon after the encounter.
“It’s about trying to be there every point, playing every point as a match point. A point in the tie-break makes the difference. Luckily we made it,” Conner added.
By winning their maiden Challenger team title, the brothers split $2,000 in prize money and collected 50 ATP Doubles Ranking points.
🏆 Los hermanos Arklon y Conner Huertas del Pino🇵🇪 se consagraron campeones en dobles del Dove Men+Care @LegionSudam Challenger Tenis Club Argentino.
Derrotaron en la final a la pareja local Matías Descotte / Alejo Lingua Lavallén por 7-5, 4-6 y 11-9. pic.twitter.com/1tYDcfhHrW
— Argentina Tenis (@AATenis) June 25, 2022
