The Frenchman Hugo Gaston spoiled the hope of Stan Wawrinka to become the oldest ATP Challenger Tour champion in the Open Blot Rennes on Sunday.
A complete crowd in the northwest of France was treated to a final between the top two seeds, the Home Hope Gaston and the favorite Wawrinka of Fans, respectively. The Lefty ruled and drove Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4. Wawrinka, 40, wanted to surpass Ivo Karlovic’s record of the oldest Challenger Champion (39 years, seven months).
“I thank my team, we are happy to start our collaboration with Tristan [Lamasine] With a title, “said Gaston during the trophy ceremony.” It is always a pleasure to play here. The arena is incredible. A big thanks to the fans, playing in a complete stadium is great. ”
Title No. ✋ for Hugo Gaston #AtpChallenger | @Fftennis pic.twitter.com/fkwxnnzp0
– ATP Challenger Tour (@atpChallenger) September 14, 2025
Gaston, who came in the week at a skid of five games at all levels, only one set dropped all the tournament to lift his fifth Challenger crown. He is 22 places up to no. 106 in the PIF ATP rankings and looks at a return to the Top 100.
Wawrinka competed in his second challenge final of the season. He reached the championship match in Aix-en-Provence in May and fell to Borna Coric in a three-hour battle. The former No. 3 has a seasonal record of 16-8 at the Challenger level and will be back in Saint-Tropez this week.
“I congratulate Hugo and his team,” said Wawrinka. “He had a great week, he was stronger, it was deserved. Despite the defeat, it was a very positive week, a success. I try to get the most out of my career, unfortunately I am older. It’s not good to be 40, but it’s always a sensation to be on the field, thanks to the crowd, the emotions and the support I give.”
In other Challenger campaign, Brit Jack Pinnington Jones won his second trophy of the season to stand up a career-high no. 177. The former striking Texas Christian University triumphed in the Winston Salem Challenger in North Carolina.
Pinnington Jones, 22, did not drop a set all week and saved 17 of the 19 break points with which he was confronted, according to Infosys ATP statistics. In the final he beat the 19-year-old American Trevor Svajda 6-2, 6-2. Pinnington Jones completed his junior season at Texas Christian University in May and won his first Challenger title in July during the Grass-Court event in Nottingham.
Argentines Thiago Agustin Tirante, Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Marco Trungelliti also lifted trophies. The 24-year-old Tirante won the investment in Szczecin Open, where he beat Spaniard Pablo Llamas Ruiz 6-3, 6-2 in the final.
“I think it was a very, very good match for me,” said Tirante, who is back in the top 100 for the first time since last September. “I played well from the first point to the last, so I am very happy to come back and win a title, I think the biggest of my career. I think it’s my first title in Europe. I am very happy to win and return to the Top 100.”
Thiago Agustin Tirante celebrates the winning of the Szczecin -Henijder. Credit: Jaroslaw Gaszynski
Cerundolo earned his 11th Challenger title and first on Hard Court at the Guangzhou Huangpu International Tennis Open in China. The 23-year-old colleague Lefty Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 6-3 in the champion match. After his triumph, Cerundolo is on a career-high no. 72 in the PIF ATP ranking.
“I am really happy because it is my first title for hard courts. I never expected this,” said Cerundolo. “This is my first time in China. There is a time difference of 11 hours in between here and my house, so the first days were quite difficult. I couldn’t sleep, so I had to adjust very quickly.
“I am really happy with it and I hope to keep improving and getting better and better, especially on this surface.”
Juan Manuel Cerundolo wins the Guangzhou -Pondager. Credit: Guangzhou Huangpu International Tennis Open
Trungelliti won the Intaro Open in Romania to lock up back-to-back title runs. The winner of the Tulln Challenger of last week, Trungelliti led Mili Poljicak 6-1 in the final when the Croatian retired due to an oblique injury. The 35-year-old has won six Challenger titles, three of which have come this season.
The Italian Stefano Napolitano was crowned champion on his home tournament, the Città di Biella. In the week at no. 847 in the PIF ATP rankings, the 30-year-old rested on home support to become the lowest ranked Challenger Champion this season. Napolitano, a four-time Challenger champion, drove Swiss Kilian Feldbausch 7-5, 6-3 in the final.
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