![\"#NextGenATP](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cina-punech-2026-title.jpg\")
<\/p>\n ATP Tour
\n Cina, 18, saves 5 championship points to claim first Challenger crown<\/p>\n
#NextGenATP star joins Sinner in list of Italian teenagers to win a Challenger title<\/p>\n
March 02, 2026<\/p>\n
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PMR Maha Open<\/p>\n
#NextGenATP Federico Cina wins his maiden ATP Challenger title in Pune, India.
\n By ATP Staff<\/p>\n
#NextGenATP Federico Cina<\/a> earned an ATP Challenger breakthrough in dramatic fashion Sunday.<\/p>\n \nThe 18-year-old fended off five championship points en route to a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(1) victory against Briton Felix Gill<\/a> at the PMR Maha Open<\/a> in Pune, India. Cina is the fifth Italian to win his first ATP Challenger trophy before turning 19, a list led by Jannik Sinner<\/a>, the No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings.<\/p>\n \n\u201cIt feels amazing having never won a Challenger title,\u201d Cina said. \u201cI hope this is only the first one.\u201d<\/p>\n Youngest Italians To Win First Challenger Title<\/p>\n \nCina reached three Challenger finals in 2025, but was unable to enter the winner\u2019s circle. In the Pune final, the teenager courageously held his nerve while serving at 5-6 in the decider, during which he saved five championship points.<\/p>\n \n\u201cIt was very difficult to keep the focus on [those points], but I really wanted to win this match so I fought until the end and fortunately I won,\u201d said Cina, who is up to No. 183 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, setting him up for his Top 200 debut.<\/p>\n \nLast year, Cina made his ATP Tour debut and earned main-draw wins at the ATP Masters 1000 events in Miami and Madrid. The Palermo native will be one to watch throughout this season.<\/p>\n \nCina is second in the PIF ATP Live Next Gen Race, only behind Spaniard Rafael Jodar<\/a>.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s call it CINAma \ud83c\udf7f\ud83e\udd29\ud83c\udfac<\/p>\n Italian teenager Cina captures the Pune title in a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(1) thriller \ud83c\udd9a Gill#OnTheRise<\/a> | @msltatennis<\/a> | @federtenis<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/H58m6UoXZu<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) March 1, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n \nCina is not the only #NextGenATP player who enjoyed success this week. Joel Schwaerzler<\/a> reached the Lugano Challenger final, but was stopped short of a title by Zsombor Piros<\/a>, who defeated the Austrian 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in the championship match.<\/p>\n \nFollowing his title run at the Challenger Citt\u00e0 di Lugano, Piros is up 38 places to No. 142 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. Piros, 26, is an eight-time Challenger champion.<\/p>\n \nTwo former Top 50 players claimed ATP Challenger titles this week: Facundo Diaz Acosta<\/a> and Sebastian Ofner<\/a>.<\/p>\n \nDiaz Acosta triumphed on home soil at the AAT Challenger IEB+ Edicion Tigre II, marking the Argentine\u2019s first trophy at any level since his 2024 title run at the ATP 250 event in Buenos Aires. The former World No. 47 ousted Spaniard Miguel Damas<\/a> 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 in the clay-court final.<\/p>\n \nOfner, who reached a career-high No. 37 in January 2024, was crowned champion at the Open Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglom\u00e9ration. Ofner defeated Pierre-Hugues Herbert<\/a> 6-4, 7-6(4) to win his fifth Challenger crown.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\nZsombor 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<\/a> in action at the Lugano Challenger. Credit: Dave Wong Production<\/p>\nFacundo Diaz Acosta plays in front of a full crowd Sunday at the Tigre Challenger.” 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<\/a> plays in front of a full crowd Sunday at the Tigre Challenger. Credit: Asociaci\u00f3n Argentina de Tenis<\/p>\n