CURITIBA/STARNBERG, September 24, 2026

Gustavo Heide heads into the Campeonato Internacional de Tenis – ATP Challenger 75 in Curitiba with renewed confidence after claiming one of the biggest victories of his career. Last Friday, the Brazilian defeated Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 in the Davis Cup, overcoming the former World No. 3 and three-time Grand Slam champion after more than two hours of play.

Wawrinka, 41, won three Grand Slam titles during his illustrious career, lifting the Australian Open trophy in 2014, Roland Garros in 2015 and the US Open in 2016. Heide’s victory secured Brazil’s second point in the tie against Switzerland and provided the 24-year-old with an important boost at a crucial stage of the season.

The result comes at an ideal time for Heide, who is about to embark on a demanding run of eight or nine tournaments before the end of the year. His schedule begins with the Challenger 75 in Curitiba, which will be held from September 27 to October 4 at the Graciosa Country Club.

“I think this Davis Cup was really good for me, especially because of the win I had against a great player. It was a match that gave me a lot of confidence, and I think I needed that a little bit,” Heide said. “I had been coming from a few weeks where I wasn’t playing that well, so I’m sure this Davis Cup will help me a lot for the next tournaments, just as it helped me after the last Davis Cup against Canada, when I went on to play some great tournaments.”

Heide also highlighted the importance of the upcoming stretch as he looks to finish the season strongly.

“It will definitely help me a lot for the end of the year. Now I have a run of eight or nine tournaments until the end of the season, starting with Curitiba. So now it’s about staying focused and concentrating on these next tournaments, which will be very important for my career and for my ranking, to see where I can finish the year,” he added.

Heide will be one of the leading names in a strong Brazilian field in Curitiba. The main draw already features Thiago Seyboth Wild, Matheus Pucinelli, Joao Lucas Reis and Felipe Meligeni Alves, who will use his protected ranking. Pedro Boscardin, Eduardo Ribeiro and Matheus Alves are among the Brazilians entered in qualifying.

In total, eight of the top 10 Brazilian players in the ATP Rankings are entered in the tournament, underlining the importance of the Curitiba Challenger for Brazilian and South American tennis.

The international field is equally strong, led by Argentina’s Francisco Comesana, currently ranked No. 119 in the world. Other notable players include Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien and Juan Carlos Prado Angelo, Chileans Tomas Barrios Vera and Matias Soto, Argentinians Federico Coria, Genaro Olivieri and Juan Bautista Torres, Peru’s Juan Pablo Varillas, Uruguay’s Franco Roncadelli and Dominican Republic’s Nick Hardt, among others.

The 32-player singles main draw will offer a total prize purse of US$107,000, with the champion earning 75 ATP Ranking points.

Another major Brazilian attraction will be Guto Miguel, who has received a wild card into the main draw. The current World No. 1 junior will compete in his first tournament since officially ending his junior career. The 17-year-old from Paraná enters the professional ranks after a standout junior season that saw him win the boys’ singles title at Roland Garros and finish runner-up at the US Open.

His appearance in Curitiba will also mark his first professional tournament in Brazil since beginning this new chapter of his career, giving local fans the opportunity to watch one of the country’s most promising young players at close range.

This year’s Campeonato Internacional de Tênis also carries a prestigious distinction for Brazilian tennis. In December 2025, the ATP named the Curitiba Challenger the “Challenger 75 Tournament of the Year”, recognizing it as the best tournament in the category worldwide.

It was the first time a Brazilian tournament had received the distinction in any category of the ATP Challenger Tour. In 2025, 98 Challenger 75 events were held around the world, with Curitiba achieving the highest average player rating. Players evaluated criteria including organization, services, facilities, atmosphere and the overall tournament experience.