Cristian Garin was all smiles again on the ATP Challenger Tour on Sunday. The Chilean claimed the title at the Uruguay Open in Montevideo after defeating Peru’s Ignacio Buse in the singles final.
The Arica native, who had previously knocked out compatriot Tomás Barrios Vera, pulled off an impressive comeback to win 6–7(3), 6–2, 6–2 in a match that lasted two hours and 15 minutes. Garin broke his rival six times, struck 23 winners and won 53 per cent of the total points played to secure victory.
Beyond adding another trophy to his collection, Garin earned significant rewards from his week in Uruguay. Most importantly, he secured his return to the Top 100 and has climbed to World No. 80 in the rankings.
This new position guarantees him direct entry into the main draw of the 2026 Australian Open. Garin will also reclaim the Chilean No. 1 spot, edging just ahead of Alejandro Tabilo.
In terms of prize money, Garin pocketed $23,000 as well as 100 ATP Ranking points for winning his fourth ATP Challenger Tour title of the season, following earlier triumphs in Mauthausen (Austria), Oeiras (Portugal) and on home soil in Antofagasta.
Struff secures Australian Open spot by winning in Lyon
Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff has clinched the seventh ATP Challenger Tour title of his career, and his first since 2022, by winning the ALL IN OPEN Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The No. 6 seed of the indoor hard-court event defeated British qualifier Liam Broady 6-4, 6-4 in Saturday’s final.
Struff, who lifted his maiden tour-level trophy on home soil in Munich last year, fired nine aces and won 84 per cent of his first-service points to prevail in one hour and 18 minutes.
With this win, the World No. 100 collected 75 valuable ATP Ranking points to punch his ticket into the main draw of the upcoming Australian Open.
North American swing ends in Champaign, Drummondville
The hard-court swing in the United States concluded with the Paine Schwartz Partners Challenger in Champaign, where Stefan Kozlov emerged victorious. The American defeated No. 4 seed Murphy Cassone 7-6(3), 7-5 in an all-American final.
Kozlov converted four of his 10 break-point chances and won 53 per cent of the total points played to prevail after two hours and five minutes.
The 27-year-old earned his sixth ATP Challenger Tour title—and his second in Champaign after 2021.
Meanwhile in Canada, Daniel Glinka was crowned champion at the Challenger Banque Nationale de Drummondville. The fourth-seeded Estonian halted the run of Canadian wild card Duncan Chan with a 6-4, 6-2 victory in the final. Glinka saved the only break point he faced and capitalized on three of his six break-point opportunities to clinch his maiden Challenger crown in one hour and 12 minutes.