Que bueno! 19-year-old Bueno wins Buenos Aires Challenger, Vacherot goes back-to-back

Gonzalo Bueno capped a rollercoaster week Sunday in Buenos Aires, Argentina by lifting his maiden ATP Challenger Tour trophy. The 19-year-old Peruvian, who advanced through qualifying, fended off three championship points to down Kazakh Dmitry Popko 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(4) and be crowned champion.

“I won because I gave everything. I left everything on the court, everything I had. Thanks to that I was able to win,” Bueno said. “This week makes me believe in myself, belief that I can achieve these things.”

Only three teenagers from South America have won ATP Challenger Tour titles in the past decade: Bueno, Juan Manuel Cerundolo (2021) and Thiago Seyboth Wild (2019). The Trujillo-native Bueno is the third-youngest Peruvian champion (19 years, nine months) in Challenger history and the youngest since 18-year-old Jaime Yzaga in 1985.

Following his clay-court triumph, Bueno is at a career-high No. 322 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

In other ATP Challenger Tour action, Valentin Vacherot extended his perfect start to the year by capturing back-to-back titles in Nonthaburi, Thailand. The Monegasque downed Manuel Guinard 7-5, 7-6(5) in the Bangkok Open 2 final.

^{Valentin Vacherot claims back-to-back Challenger titles in Thailand. Credit: Bangkok Open 2}

The 25-year-old Vacherot has claimed a trio of Challenger titles in his career, with all of them coming in Thailand. The former Texas A&M University standout is at a career-high No. 172 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Swiss Leandro Riedi earned his third Challenger title by winning the Oeiras Indoor 2, where he defeated Martin Damm 7-6(6), 6-2 in the final. Riedi, 21, did not drop a set en route to the trophy.

“It’s the best feeling to start the year like this, I’m very thrilled to be through,” Riedi said. “I was really focused this week. I was really prepared well and I’m happy I got the reward.”

^{Leandro Riedi wins the Challenger 75 event in Oeiras, Portugal. Credit: FPT/Sara Falcao}