ATP Tour

Smith, Ugo Carabelli successfully defend Challenger titles

American Colton Smith and Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli successfully defended ATP Challenger titles on Sunday. The 22-year-old Smith dropped one set all week en route to winning the Cleveland Open while Ugo Carabelli won an all-Argentine final on home soil in Rosario.

Smith, who graduated from the University of Arizona in 2025 as the winningest singles player in school history, last year won the Cleveland Challenger in what was his seventh appearance at that level. Now at No. 142 in the PIF ATP Rankings, nine spots off tying his career high, Smith returned to the indoor event and defeated Borna Gojo 6-4, 7-5 in the final to defend his crown. Since 2019, the Cleveland Challenger has featured six American champions.

Ugo Carabelli, World No. 48, captured his ninth Challenger trophy at the Quini 6 Rosario Challenger presentado por el Gobierno de Santa Fe. The 26-year-old downed countryman Roman Andres Burruchaga 6-2, 6-3 in the championship match to return to the winner’s circle.

“I think I’m going to move to Rosario,” Ugo Carabelli joked in Spanish during the trophy ceremony. “I came here with some doubts, lacking confidence. I lost three matches in a row in a difficult start to the year where I’m defending a lot of points, so I’m very happy.”

^{Camilo Ugo Carabelli celebrates winning the Rosario Challenger. Credit: Rosario Challenger}

Sweeny surges to first Challenger crown
Australian Dane Sweeny also triumphed on home soil, lifting his maiden Challenger title at the Brisbane Tennis International #1. The 24-year-old recently qualified for the Australian Open and earned his first major main-draw win against Gael Monfils before falling to eighth seed Ben Shelton.

Building off his Melbourne momentum, Sweeny overcame defending champion Tristan Schoolkate 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(4) in a two-hour, 41-minute championship-match battle.

Winning at home hits different 🇦🇺#ATPChallenger | @TennisAustralia pic.twitter.com/L6wcZWomEJ

— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) February 8, 2026

Merida, 21, marches to title in Tenerife
Daniel Merida is at career-high No. 152 following his title run at the Tenerife Challenger 1, where the Spaniard downed top seed Francesco Maestrelli 6-2, 6-4 in the final. Merida, 21, is a two-time Challenger champion, having won in Pozoblanco last July.

“It’s something amazing because it was something I was dreaming of one year ago,” Merida said of winning two Challenger titles. “Having two trophies now with me is something that feels very, very nice.

“I think my level all throughout the week was very high. I was trying to be more aggressive, I think that was the key.”

^{Daniel Merida wins the Tenerife Challenger 1. Credit: Alejandro Fumero/MEF Tennis Events}

Kotov returns to winner’s circle for first time since 2022
Pavel Kotov claimed the Koblenz Tennis Open in thrilling fashion, winning a topsy-turvy deciding-set tie-break to lift the trophy. The 27-year-old escaped Tom Gentzsch 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(8) after two hours, 46 minutes to secure his fourth Challenger crown and first since August 2022.

^{Pavel Kotov celebrates his Koblenz Challenger triumph with his mother, Liliya. Credit: Janko.media}

Prihodko celebrates maiden Challenger trophy
Ukraine’s Oleg Prihodko won his maiden Challenger title at the Start Romagna Cup -1° Trofeo Città di Cesenatico, where he rallied past Italian Raul Brancaccio 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-4 in the final. The 28-year-old Prihodko, who was competing in his second Challenger final and first since 2021, is No. 355 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

📍 Brisbane 🇦🇺
📍 Pau 🇫🇷
📍 Tenerife 🇪🇸
📍 Baton Rouge 🇺🇸
📍 Chennai 🇮🇳

All streaming on Challenger TV ➡️ https://t.co/zdmegU4yTU#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/v0oy2rUpeZ

— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) February 9, 2026