ATP Tour

Former college standouts Pinnington Jones, Draxl win Challenger titles

Just one month into his full-time pro career, Jack Pinnington Jones is already making a splash. The Briton captured his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title on Sunday at the Lexus Nottingham Challenger 3, capping a breakthrough grass-court swing.

After reaching the final in Ilkley and earning his first Grand Slam main-draw win at Wimbledon, Pinnington Jones added another milestone by defeating former World No. 14 Kyle Edmund 6-4, 7-6(1) in the Nottingham final.

The 22-year-old completed his junior season at Texas Christian University in May and has since turned pro. Pinnington Jones is a two-time qualifier for the ATP Next Gen Accelerator, an initiative created to increase the development pathway for top players in the American collegiate system, allowing qualifiers to earn entry into select ATP Challenger Tour events.

Following his title run, Pinnington Jones is at a career-high No. 190 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Another former college standout, Liam Draxl, also triumphed on the Challenger Tour. Draxl, who played at the University of Kentucky until 2023 and qualified for the Accelerator Programme that year, won on home soil at the Winnipeg National Bank Challenger.

^{Liam Draxl celebrates winning the Winnipeg Challenger. Credit: Stephen McGregor/Winnipeg National Bank Challenger}

In a championship match featuring the top two seeds, Draxl rallied past top seed and #NextGenATP star Alexander Blockx 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. The 23-year-old Draxl had fallen short in five Challenger finals this year, including at the previous week’s Cary Challenger, yet ended that skid to capture his second title at that level, both of which have come on Canadian soil (2023 Calgary). Draxl is now at a career-high No. 121.

#NextGenATP Croatian Matej Dodig lifted his first Challenger trophy at the Citta' Di Trieste in Italy, where he advanced through qualifying en route to the title. The 19-year-old raced through the main draw, not dropping a set all week. Dodig, who defeated Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-3, 6-4 in the final, is 13th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. He is aiming for his maiden trip to the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

🚨 Matej Dodig’s breakthrough moment 🚨

The 19-year-old defeats Tirante 6-3, 6-4 to capture his first Challenger trophy in Trieste! 🏆#OnTheRise pic.twitter.com/TGJVcDITfo

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) July 13, 2025

Elmer Moller dramatically saved five championship points to win the Concord Iasi Open in Romania. Having celebrated his 22nd birthday on Wednesday, Moller earned a memorable gift by claiming his second Challenger title this season and third overall.

The Dane beat former No. 3 Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals and then escaped Frenchman Titouan Droguet 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(2) in a two-hour, 28-minute final, during which Moller fended off five championship points while serving at 4-5 in the decider. Up to a career-high No. 102 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Moller is closing in on his Top 100 debut.

Argentine Mariano Navone and American Zachary Svajda each won Challenger 125 events, the highest category of tournaments featured last week.

^{Mariano Navone wins the Brawo Open. Credit: Debbie Jayne Kinsey}

Navone dropped just one set all tournament to win the clay-court Brawo Open in Braunschweig, Germany, where he beat countryman Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-3, 7-5 in the championship match. It marks the 24-year-old’s first Challenger title of 2025 and seventh overall.

On the grass courts of Newport, Rhode Island, Svajda was crowned champion after knocking out four of the top eight seeds, including fourth seed Adrian Mannarino 7-5, 6-3 in the final. The 22-year-old is a five-time Challenger champion.

^{Zachary Svajda returns to the Challenger winner's circle in Newport. Credit: Kyle Prudhomme/International Tennis Hall of Fame}