#NextGenATP Rocha downs Basilashvili for maiden Challenger title

Andres Molina

#NextGenATP Henrique Rocha celebrated a memorable moment Sunday when he became the third-youngest Portuguese player to lift an ATP Challenger Tour trophy.

The 19-year-old rallied past former World No. 16 Nikoloz Basilashvili 3-6, 7-6(0), 7-5 after two hours, 51 minutes to win the Costa Calida Region de Murcia in Spain. Rocha let slip an opportunity to serve out the match at 5-4 in the decider, but he quickly rebounded to earn a break back and seal his maiden triumph on his second attempt.

"It was a pretty tough match. I've known [Nikoloz] since I was a child because I used to watch him play on TV," Rocha said. "I started playing a bit better halfway through the second set. He was playing really good during the whole match. I just tried to keep going and I think that was the main thing that gave me the title. Not only in the final, but all week I just kept going after all the difficulties I had."

Competing in just his 10th ATP Challenger Tour tournament, Rocha is the fifth player born in 2004 to win a title at that level, joining Luca Van Assche, Arthur Fils, Alex Michelsen and Gonzalo Bueno.

Rocha joins Nuno Marques as the only Portuguese teenage champions in Challenger history (since 1978). Marques won back-to-back titles as an 18-year-old in 1989.

Dream week complete 🤩

Henrique Rocha outlasts Basilashvili 3-6, 7-6(0), 7-5 in Murcia and becomes the third-youngest champion from Portugal!#ATPChallenger | @MurciaClubTenis pic.twitter.com/uOjRfiseEY

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) March 24, 2024

Following his triumph, Rocha is up 51 spots to No. 197 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. The teen is also seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race to Jeddah as he aims for his maiden trip to the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals.

The five-time tour-level titlist Basilashvili, who missed much of last season due to an elbow injury, was aiming for his first trophy at any level since 2021.

In other ATP Challenger Tour action, Gustavo Heide defeated Joao Fonseca 7-5, 6-7(6), 6-1 in an all-Brazilian final at the Paraguay Open Dove Men+Care in Asuncion.

Heide, 22, held a championship point at 5/6 in the second-set tie-break, but was forced to a deciding set before lifting his maiden Challenger crown. “I’m very happy with this week. A big week in Asuncion,” said Heide, who is at a career-high No. 174 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

^{Eighth seed Gustavo Heide wins the Asuncion Challenger. Credit: Omar Rasjido/Paraguay Open}

American Tristan Boyer also captured his first Challenger title at the Yucatan Open in Merida, Mexico, where he overcame Argentine Juan Pablo Ficovich 7-6(6), 6-2 in the title match.

The 22-year-old Boyer turned pro in 2022 after two seasons at Stanford University and after falling short in two Challenger finals last year, he dropped just one set all week in Merida en route to the title. Boyer is up to a career-high No. 192 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

^{Tristan Boyer wins the Challenger 50 event in Merida. Credit: Yucatan Open}

Slovakia’s Jozef Kovalik claimed his seventh Challenger title and first since 2022 at the Falkensteiner Punta Skala Zadar Open. The 31-year-old downed Bulgaria’s Adrian Andreev 6-4, 6-2 in the final.

“It was a great week for me. I’m very happy with the performance because I was struggling a bit, so finally I had big wins this week,” Kovalik said. “I also spent a lot of great time off court in the hotel because I brought my family. We were here together the whole time.”

^{Jozef Kovalik celebrates winning the Zadar Challenger with his wife Nikola and daughters Nikola and Olivia. Credit: Frane Hrabrov}

🏆 Doubles champs 🏆#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/zrIuK4E0wj

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) March 24, 2024