Federico Cina, 18, saves 5 MPs and claims first Challenger crown | ATP tour | Tennis

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Cina, 18, collects 5 championship points and claims first Challenger crown

#NextGenATP star joins Sinner in list of Italian teens who could win a Challenger title
March 2, 2026

#NextGenATP Federico Cina achieved a dramatic breakthrough in the ATP Challenger on Sunday.

The 18-year-old fended off five championship points on his way to a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(1) victory against Britain’s Felix Gill at the PMR Maha Open in Pune, India. Cina is the fifth Italian to win his first ATP Challenger trophy before turning 19, a list led by Jannik Sinner, the No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“It feels great that I have never won a Challenger title,” said Cina. “I hope this is just the first.”

Youngest Italians to win first Challenger title

Cina reached three Challenger finals in 2025, but could not get into the winner’s circle. In the Pune final, the teenager bravely held his nerve while at 5-6 in the decider, saving five championship points.

“It was very difficult to maintain focus [those points]but I really wanted to win this match, so I fought until the end and luckily I won,” said Cina, who is ranked No. 183 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, setting him up for his Top 200 debut.

Last year, Cina made his ATP Tour debut, scoring main draw victories at the ATP Masters 1000 events in Miami and Madrid. The Palermo native will be one to watch this season.

Cina comes second in the PIF ATP Live Next Gen Race, only behind Spaniard Rafael Jodar.

Let’s call it CINAma 🍿🤩🎬

Italian teenager Cina captures the Pune title in a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(1) thriller 🆚 Gill#OnTheRise | @msltatennis | @federtenis pic.twitter.com/H58m6UoXZu

— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) March 1, 2026

Cina isn’t the only #NextGenATP player to find success this week. Joel Schwaerzler reached the final of the Lugano Challenger but was stopped short of a title by Zsombor Piros, who defeated the Austrian 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in the championship match.

Following his title run at the Challenger Città di Lugano, Piros has risen 38 places to number 142 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. Piros, 26, is an eight-time Challenger champion.

Zsombor Piros in action at the Lugano Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2026/03/02/03/21/piros-luganoch-2026.jpg”>
^{_{Zsombor Piros in action at the Lugano Challenger. Credit: Dave Wong Production}}

Two former Top 50 players claimed the ATP Challenger titles this week: Facundo Diaz Acosta and Sebastian Ofner.

Diaz Acosta triumphed on home soil at the AAT Challenger IEB+ Edicion Tigre II, marking the Argentine’s first trophy at any level since his 2024 title run at the ATP 250 event in Buenos Aires. The former world number 47 ousted Spaniard Miguel Damas 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 in the final on clay.

Facundo Diaz Acosta will play in front of a packed crowd at the Tigre Challenger on Sunday.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2026/03/02/03/24/diaz-acosta-tigrech-2026-fh.jpg”>
^{_{Facundo Diaz Acosta will play in front of a packed crowd in the Tigre Challenger on Sunday. Credit: Argentine Tennis Association}}

Ofner, who reached career-high No. 37 in January 2024, was crowned champion at the Open Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglomération. Ofner defeated Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 7-6(4) to win his fifth Challenger crown.